Prejudice's Bedfellow
by Night's Darkness
Summary: Ronon has always hated the Wraith and insists that nothing will ever change his opinion of them. But what happens when his last surviving family member forces him to face his prejudices?
1. Prologue

Ok, let's start off with the disclaimer, since I always forget that

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or anything to do with it, much to my misery. I do own Kaie though.

As a side note, I love Beckett, which is why I'm ignoring 'Sunday' but this is set some time into the fourth season, which hasn't even aired yet, so I've no qualms about contradicting the plot:) Besides, I need Beckett for the plot.

I think that's everything… so enjoy!

* * *

**Prologue **

The creature clicked and screeched to its companions as they followed their leader through the great ring, into a wooded area. There was no scent of the prey the creature was hungry for, or at least, there was no strong scent that gave it hope that it would feast that night, for it was night in this land.

The leader called for them to hurry, for he was weary and wished to find a place for them all to rest. So the creatures moved on, clicking to each other in what would have been interpreted as idle chat. About prey.

The creature became aware all at once of a strange silence. There were no creatures save themselves in this place. It was empty of animal life. That was not normal. The leader seemed to have detected the same anomaly as he halted and motioned for the army to do the same.

The creatures clicked and screeched among themselves, working together to determine what the problem was. Then one of their own let out a screech of pain.

One of them was writhing and clawing at its head, screeching so loud it echoed through the woods. The other creatures drew away in confusion, watching as its movements became slower, more difficult. It was almost as if it was…

Before the others astonished eyes, their comrade turned into stone. A lifelike statue, but a statue nonetheless. But they had no time to try to understand what had happened, for there were more screeches of agony as, one by one, they were transformed into stone.

The first creature turned to its leader, asking for him to save them. Their father must know what to do! But he just stared in shock with his expressionful face as the thousands of his offspring were transformed into solid stone.

The first creature wailed as it felt its body begin to change. It was unbearable, it was incomprehensible. The creature tried to run, tried to climb out of its own body, but it was unable to and soon its mind was reduced to stone and it never thought again.

The leader, the father, watched as his children were changed, unable to do a thing because he had no idea what was happening… what had just happened. His children, his powerful, dangerous children were standing in movements of agony, some were contorted into shapes that shouldn't have been possible, all frozen. The leader reached out and touched the nearest one, hoping to feel warmth of life under the surface. But all he felt was cold hard stone.

Then his hackles rose and he knew he wasn't alone.

"What are you? And how dare you do this?" he growled.

"I am more than you could imagine. And I dare because I can." cooed a voice that was light and clear, like stars shining on a cloudless night. At least that was the image the father got from it.

"Why not kill me with them?" the father demanded, sounding almost broken-hearted. There was a soft sound that was like a giggle and a sigh, and the leader gasped as he felt invisible ropes wrap around his middle, and drag him across the ground, away from the statues. He struggled but to no avail.

With a grunt he was knocked onto his back and a tall figure loomed over him and said,

"Because I've been looking for a new pet to play with. You'll do."

"You cannot do this!" he growled

"Oh but I can." The figure crouched down and straddled his hips. "That's the beauty of it. You're mine because I'm not going to give you any other choice."

The leader grunted, "I will never be yours! I will kill you."

"Well… we'll just see, won't we my pet?"

* * *

Reviews are always appreciated!

Night's Darkness


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_(Flashback)_

"_Higher Ronon, higher!" _

_Ronon huffed a little as he pushed the swing harder. He was worried that if he pushed too hard the swing's occupant would go flying off and hurt herself. "Higher!" she squealed with delight. _

"_That's high enough Kaie. No more."_

"_Aw but Ronon…" Big blue eyes were staring at him, giving him a pleading look. Ronon shook his head. _

"_No Kaie. You'll hurt yourself."_

"_I won't. I'm tough, like you!"_

_Ronon snorted. Kaie heard him. "I am too! I'll prove it to you some day!"_

"_I look forward to it." Ronon reached out and caught the rope of the swing, bringing it to a jerky stop. "I think that's enough for today. We have to get back. Mum'll be wondering where we are."_

"_Aw, ok Ronon." _

_Kaie jumped off the swing and held her arms out to her big brother. Ronon still was amazed at how small and delicate and pale she was compared to him. Ronon picked his little eight year old sister up and began to walk through the forest. It would take them and hour and a half to get back home. No matter, Kaie would help pass the time by talking his ear off. Ronon smiled as she began chattering about a little forest animal she'd just spotted. _

_Kaie was very sweet, and Ronon would do anything to protect the little sister who displayed such fierce loyalty towards him at a moment's notice. He would kill anyone for her, do whatever it took to ensure her safety…_

_(End Flashback)_

"Ronon! Ronon! You in there buddy?"

"Huh?" Ronon blinked and looked up from his food to see Sheppard, Teyla, Beckett and McKay staring at him with curious looks.

"We've been standing here for a good three minutes calling your name." said Teyla, smiling, although she looked a little concerned. It was rare for Ronon to be so distracted. "Do you wish to be alone?"

"Nah, sit." Ronon kicked the chair opposite him out from under the table so Teyla could sit down, which she did.

"What were you thinking about?" asked Teyla as she slipped a piece of apple into her mouth.

"Yeah, what got you so preoccupied you didn't even hear us calling you?"

"I was…" Ronon debated whether he should tell them the truth. He'd never lied about it. They'd just never asked. Still, they were his friends. "I was thinking about my little sister."

A momentary quiet fell over the four before McKay blurted,

"You had a sister?"

"Yeah. Kaie."

"I didn't know that." Sheppard was frowning, clearly wracking his brain for some memory he wasn't sure he had to find out if Ronon had ever mentioned this fact to him before.

"Well I do."

"Ah, you mean you did." corrected McKay with a click of his fingers and a smile. Teyla half rolled her eyes at his ignorant comment and Beckett hung his head in momentary despair. Ronon fixed McKay with a deadpan expression.

"No. I do have a sister. She's not dead." A longer silence followed this statement.

"Back up a sec here! You have a living family member? Now I know you never told me that!" Sheppard looked amazed and confused. Teyla looked surprised. McKay's jaw was hanging down. Beckett looked thoughtful.

Ronon shifted a little, keeping his face deadpan and his voice bland,

"It never came up in conversation."

"Well… where is she? Do you know where she lives?"

"On a planet. She… she lives alone." Ronon shifted again, not sure how much he should say.

"When… I uh…" McKay, for once in his life, grasped for words.

"How long has she lived there?" asked Beckett.

Ronon narrowed his eyes in thought, "Sixteen years."

"On her own?"

"More or less."

"Bloody hell! I can't imagine living alone for so long. It must have had an effect on her behaviour around people."

"A little. I mean, she knew me, but with strangers… I dunno how she'd react."

"Wow… so she was living there before you became a runner." clarified Sheppard. Ronon narrowed his eyes a little at the reminder of his past life.

"Yeah. Although I thought she was dead. She disappeared when she was eight. I found her when I was on the run from the Wraith. I didn't ever expect to…"

"What happened? Why did she disappear?" Teyla was staring at him with open curiosity, Sheppard was narrowing his eyes in interest and McKay was still trying to pick his jaw off the ground, while Beckett seemed to be pondering what Ronon had already said. Ronon crossed his arms, slouching in his seat a little.

"It's not my place to tell her story." he grunted.

"Well then why don't we go ask her ourselves? You know the 'Gate address?"

Ronon straightened up at once. They wanted to go see his little sister? Ronon hadn't seen her in three years. He'd wandered onto her planet by accident and hadn't believed it was her when he'd first met her. But Kaie had laughed at something and Ronon knew it was her. Only his baby sister had the kind of laugh that sounded like a squeaking rodent being sucked in and out of a tube. It had made finding her in the park and woods very easy. She was a giggly kind of person.

"I don't know… she's kinda secretive."

"Well, we'll try to be as respectful of her privacy as possible." smiled McKay.

"So why not just not go?"

"Oh… good point."

"There's no telling how she'll react to complete strangers showing up in her home if she's live alone for so long. Studies have shown that people living in isolation generally don't react like people who've remained among people." offered Beckett.

"Do you not wish to see her?" Teyla asked Ronon.

"I wouldn't say no to seeing her, I'm just not sure if she'll welcome others."

"Well what if we went with you and if she doesn't want us around we'll leave. But I'd like to meet her."

"I dunno…" Ronon knew he was beginning to cave. His desire to see his baby sister again was strong and he knew the other four knew it too.

"Come on! What's the harm? Hey! She might even agree to move to Atlantis, if she wanted. Then you'd see her everyday." smiled Sheppard, spreading his hands. Ronon closed his eyes for a moment, contemplating the idea of having his only surviving family living with him in the city. Kaie would make even the most serious situations lighter and since she had that… suffice to say she would definitely be useful once the others knew what she could do.

"Ok. Let's go."

"Excellent!"

"Beckett, you wanna come? I think you'll make up for McKay."

"Hey!"

"I'd love to if that's ok. I need to get out of the city more often and a peril-free mission sounds like just the ticket. It is peril-free right?"

Ronon smirked, "Only one way to find out."

* * *

Ronon was surprised to feel the knots in his stomach as he stepped through the 'gate. It had been a long time since he'd felt nervous like this. He may have felt this way when he'd asked Melena to move in with him, he couldn't quite remember.

"Come on. This way."

Ronon led the others down the path that wound through the dense forest. The trees were broad leafed, yet smelled rather like pine. There was the occasional skittering of an animal in the undergrowth and birds called overhead as they flew through the air.

As they emerged from the forest, Ronon cast his eyes upward, following a cliff-side, all the way up to the top. Standing at the edge, watching them, was a tall, slim figure in a dark blue dress that stood out against the pale blue sky.

"Kaie." said Ronon in a quiet voice. "She's been watching out for us."

"We're not gonna have to go up there are we? 'Cause I don't do climbing cliffs." said McKay.

"Relax. She'll meet us at her home. She just likes to watch from there. It's got a good view." Ronon lifted his hand, in a gesture that looked like he was trying to shield himself from the suns rays. The figure returned the gesture and then turned away, disappearing from view as they walked from the cliff edge.

"How did she know we were here?" asked Teyla.

"She'll tell you herself when you meet her." said Ronon shortly as he picked up the pace a little. Now that he'd seen his little sister, he wanted to reach her quick. It was only now that he could see her, that he realised how much he'd missed her.

"How do you remember which way to go?"

"Easy. To find her home, just follow the cliffs on your left until you reach the giant tree that looks like a wraith and take a right until you reach the cave."

"She lives in a cave?"

"Yup."

"The title cave-sister is becoming more and more appropriate." muttered McKay. Ronon glanced over his shoulder at the scientist, one eyebrow raised. "Sorry." blurted McKay, cringing under the look.

Beckett shook his head at McKay, but he was smiling a little.

"You know, out of curiosity, why did your sister choose to stay on her own?" asked Sheppard, his eyes scanning the land with interest.

"She prefers to stay away from populated areas. She finds them… ignorant, as she put it."

"Ignorant?"

"You'll see when we get there. It's not my place to tell."

"Fair enough."

"You mean you and your sister don't spill each other's most embarrassing moments?" asked McKay, sounding jealous. "Can we trade?"

"No."

"Speaking of Mrs. Miller, did you really carry a teddy around with you?"

"It's not an uncommon thing for children to do."

"When you were 19?"

"Oh… that. I mean no, I didn't!" McKay's cheeks flushed and Beckett sniggered at him, while Sheppard smirked to himself. Ronon tried to hide his smile. Before she'd left, McKay's sister had been kind enough to slip photo evidence of this particular fact into his hand. If Sheppard was really that curious, Ronon would not be a good friend if he did not help him get rid of that itch.

* * *

Kaie's home was entered through a cave mouth about the size of the double doors of the transporters on Atlantis. Nothing could be seen inside because there was no light shining into it as the mountainside it was located on faced away from the sun's path, so the mountain cast a large shadow during the day.

There was nothing remarkable about the area. There was a tree on either side of the cave mouth, whose branches had been coaxed and manipulated into growing along the edge of the mouth, forming a blooming arch. Last time Ronon had been here the lilac blossoms had begun to fall as spring became summer, and every time he'd walked in or out of the cave he'd wind up with petals in his dreadlocks.

The mountain rock was black basalt, and the mountain was steep, although there were animals, with spindly legs that looked like it would take nothing to snap them, that leaped around on the near vertical cliffs. Kaie called them Bendylegs. Despite being twenty-four now, Kaie was still rather childish at heart. Ronon had found it a comfort when he'd last been here. One small thing had not changed among the many things that had.

"So, we're here. Now what?"

"Now we wait for Kaie to show up. We're not supposed to enter the cave without her permission."

"You have it."

McKay jumped a foot in the air, and Beckett let out a little squawk of surprise. They all whipped around to see a tall young woman standing behind them.

"Kaie." greeted Ronon, smiling as he walked over to her. She beamed at him and threw her arms around him.

"Ronon! Oh it's so good to see you." Ronon picked her up in his arms as he crushed her in a bear hug. "Easy brother! Easy on the ribs." Kaie laughed, but made no attempt to wiggle free. Ronon set her on the ground and pulled away from her, although one hand remained on her shoulder. "It's been far to long. I've worried about you."

"I'm fine. Really. Not a runner anymore."

"So I gathered." Kaie looked at the others, all of whom were gaping at her like she was a strange looking alien. "Why the open mouths?"

"You two are related? How is that even possible?" asked McKay, barely able to get the words coherently out of his hanging jaw. Ronon snorted a little and shook his head. He knew why they were so shocked.

Where Ronon was tall, with brown dreadlocks and brown eyes, caramel skin and was broad, Kaie was pale, with strawberry blonde hair, green eyes and a slim, curvy figure. The only thing they shared in common was the shape of their eyes and mouths and their height. Kaie was as tall or taller than all the other people present, Ronon being only a little taller than her.

Kaie grinned, showing off her white teeth, and said,

"We're half siblings really. We share the same mother."

"My dad died when I was a kid and my mum remarried within two years, as was the law of Sadeta. Kaie was born two years after." explained Ronon.

"We both resemble our fathers far more than our mother. Otherwise we would look more alike."

"You share the same smile." said Teyla,

"Even if it's rarely seen when it comes to Ronon."

"So my big brother is as stoic as ever? I cannot say I'm surprised. He was always like that." laughed Kaie. "Would you like to come in and have something to drink?"

"Sure." said Ronon.

"Wonderful. Come."

"Shouldn't we introduce ourselves first?"

"There's no need. I know who you are Sheppard." smiled Kaie, "And you are Teyla, McKay and Beckett."

"Please, Jon."

"Carson."

"Rodney, please, I insist."

Ronon rolled his eyes with Teyla at the blatantly obvious attempt to charm Kaie. Each man had had a large smile and a slightly glazed look in his eyes. Ronon decided to ignore them for now.

* * *

Ronon may have just seen his sister when he looked at Kaie, but what the other three men saw was something rather different.

They saw a woman wearing a dress that had a low-cut V-neck, which exposed enough skin to tantalise a man's mind, had no sleeves, so her arms were bare, and the dots of freckles were visible and the arms' muscles were defined. The dress hugged a curvy figure and had two high slits. On her feet were simple shoes. The dress was dark navy, which made her pale skin stand out. And there was something about the way her skin seemed to glow that made them all feel… excited.

Kaie walked past them and into the cave opening. They followed, rather taken in by the swaying of her hips. Teyla and Ronon followed, trying very hard not to laugh.

"So… Ronon tells us you live here alone." said Beckett.

"Yes. It is my choice."

"Must get a wee bit lonely at night."

"At times, but as I said, it was my choice to live this way. One must take the good with the bad."

"Aye, that's true enough."

"Here we are, this is the main area of my home. I'm afraid it isn't much, but please make yourselves comfortable."

Jaws hit the floor.

Inside the cave was another world. The walls were smooth and flat, painted red and cream, with intricate black designs that were different on each one. The floor was made of stone like terracotta, with fluffy cream rugs spread around to protect feet from the cold. Large, long couches, made of black leather were set around the room, which was about the same size as an average sitting room and dinning room put together. In one corner was a computer on a desk, while, taking up half a wall, from floor to ceiling, were bookshelves that were groaning under the weight of so many books. A table was in the centre of the room and more books, plus frosted glasses and bottles were set on this. It looked, in short, like a normal living room, minus the TV and stereo.

"Wow." praised Sheppard.

"You changed the colour." noted Ronon, raising an eyebrow at his sister.

"I got tired of ocean colours. So I went for a more… desert theme. It warms the place, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. I like it."

"You don't care about decorating, so your opinion doesn't count for much brother." Kaie smirked at Ronon and at once the others saw the relation between them. There was no mistaking that smirk.

"How'd you ever set up a place like this?"

"Well I had the materials, and it's not that difficult when you've got nothing better to do. Please sit."

Ronon chose one of the couches and sat into it, resting one foot on the seat. Teyla sat beside him and Beckett, Sheppard and McKay took the one beside them. Kaie turned and gestured to a cupboard by the bookshelves.

The door sprung open and a bottle drifted out, followed by six glasses. The cork in the bottle popped out and the bottle tilted to pour into the waiting glasses. The red liquid sloshed a little, but didn't spill and as it reached the top of each glass, the glass would float towards one of them. Ronon took his without batting an eyelid, while McKay waved his hand around his offered one until he was satisfied he was not seeing things. Teyla took hers with an uncertain expression. Sheppard and Beckett shared a look before allowing their glasses to land in their hands.

"Bloody hell." whispered Beckett. Kaie winced and the bottle quickly set itself down on the table.

"I'm sorry, I thought… I didn't mean to scare you, I'm just so used to doing that that I-"

"Relax Kaie, these guys have seen weirder things." grunted Ronon, resting his elbow on his bent, propped knee.

"You could have warned them Ronon." Kaie scolded, looking embarrassed.

"I could've but its your ability, I figured it wasn't my place to say."

"Well… thank you for respecting my privacy. You really must be the only big brother to do that with his little sister." Kaie grinned as she plucked her own glass out of the air near her. Ronon's lip curled up in a little smile.

"Must be."

"And so talkative. I swear I can barely get a word in edgeways, please Ronon, shut up for once."

Sheppard snorted with laughter and raised his glass in approval of her joke.

"That was good." he said,

"That was incredible!" exclaimed McKay. They all looked at him with dubious expressions. "I meant what she did before, not the joke, although that was a good one. How did you do that? With your mind, or, or some kind of mentally controlled device?"

"My mind." Kaie sat down and curled her legs up under her. "It's much easier… with practise."

"So… it's not natural?"

"Well it wasn't naturally easy. I was taught to do it. I was raised to be the heir to a very powerful being… who thought I had so much potential in me it was worth snatching me from my planet and bringing me here when I was eight." There was a strange mixture of fondness, bitterness, sadness, and gratitude in Kaie's voice as she swirled her drink around in her glass.

"Really? You were taken against your will to this place?"

"Yes."

"Could you tell us about it? We'd love to know how you came to learn to do that. We're explorers you see and, as a scientist, I'd love to learn more about this." McKay was beaming a little too much.

"I'd be interested in hearing as well, as a doctor, I'd love to understand how you came to have these abilities." Beckett leaned forward eagerly.

Kaie looked at them and then at Ronon, who nodded his head. Then she drew in a deep breath and told them her story.

* * *

Reviews are always appreciated! 

Night's Darkness


	3. Chapter 2

I'm really happy people like this fic so far. If you feel I'm not getting the characterisation down right, please tell me and I'll work on it. There'll be more canon character involvement once I get all the backstory in first I promise!

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 2 **

"I was eight. It was autumn, and Ronon had gone out to meet his girlfriend, even though he was supposed to have been doing schoolwork."

Ronon smirked a little and drank from his glass, ignoring the reproachful look on Kaie's face. Kaie rolled her eyes and continued,

"I wanted to know what my brother did out in the city, so I followed him. I waited until he was halfway down the street before climbing out the window and climbing down the pipe by the window. I chased after Ronon and followed him into the city. At least… I planned to. I didn't get out of our neighbourhood."

Kaie tugged at a lock of hair. "A man came out of the shadows. I knew him. Mum had told me to stay away from him, and so had Ronon. They said he was dangerous. I can still remember the way his cheeks were so hallow, they cast a shadow. He grabbed me, covered my mouth so no one would hear me. He dragged me down this alley. I was screaming. Then he suddenly let me go. And there was all this light and I was wrapped in warmth. My skin was tingling. I didn't know what was happening. So I kept screaming. And then this voice spoke to me. It was a clear voice, almost like a song. It said, "Don't be scared little girl. You'll not be harm. Although you're doing my ears damage with all that shouting." I had no idea what it was talking about, but I stopped screaming, afraid I'd be hurt if I didn't. Then… I was here."

Kaie gestured to the room they were in. "It was different then. But then again, she always had different tastes to me. Right to the last."

"She?" asked Teyla, looking enthralled.

"Aleshanee. I called her Alesh. She was… I don't know how to describe her."

"An Ancient?" whispered Sheppard to McKay, who nodded. Kaie looked at them and shook her head.

"I've met Ancients. That was not what Alesh was. She could be solid or energy, she could change things, turn metal into wood, bring a dead flower to life and kill a healthy tree. She was more powerful than the Ancients or less afraid of showing off and teaching me how to do the same. It was hard and I didn't want to at first, I just wanted to go home, I missed my family. But Alesh was insistent. She never even considered letting me go home. So I learned what she was trying to teach. It was hard, and at first I couldn't do a thing, I'd just end up staring at some object for hours, and nothing would happen. I was 10 before I got any results. After that… it got a little easier, but it also got harder. I began to practise on more complex objects, trying to achieve more complex results. It was ten years after I was taken that Alesh declared me done. I'd learned so much from her, and I'd become accustomed to my life here. Then Alesh left me."

Kaie sighed, her eyes springing with tears. "I never knew why she taught me what she did, I never knew why she left. She just did. And so I was left alone, with only animals and my own thoughts for company."

Ronon set his drink down and moved to sit beside his little sister. He put an arm around her and Kaie rested her head on his shoulder. Despite her height, Ronon's broadness made her look small. The fact that she was cuddling against him for comfort made her look young and delicate.

"So… you've never left this planet in sixteen years?"

"I have gone to other planets, but either the people were so distrustful of others that I was chased away, or people sought to take advantage of my powers. So I just avoided leaving. I know it's partially my own fault. I… I don't know how to behave around other people anymore. It… it's too hard. So I just live here, experimenting, learning, and using my powers in ways to see what is happening in the galaxy."

"How do you do that?"

"I focus on all the atoms within the galaxy, and each one leads me to another, and in this way, I can see what's happening on other planets. I know about the Wraith and I know who you are because I have seen you many times when I've been exploring the galaxy in my own way."

"So you could tell us where every Wraith hive ship is in this galaxy?" Sheppard shifted forward, looking interested. Kaie shifted, moving a little closer to Ronon.

"I… I suppose I could, although I've never tried to put it into a coherent way for others. It's all images, and energy. That's hard to explain."

"But could you do it sis?" asked Ronon,

"I might be able to. It might be easier if I linked to a computer and programmed it myself."

"You can do that?"

"It's no different really than linking with a rock or an animal, in fact it's a little bit of the two."

"How do you link with a rock?" McKay was frowning, obviously trying to wrap his head around all the potential he could see for the young woman.

"I see it at the molecular level and I can rearrange its atomic structure, turning it into something else. I remember I turned basalt into mercury one time. As long as I understand the molecular structure of the object I can manipulate it. If I wanted to, I could turned all the carbon in your body into oxygen and all the calcium into magnesium."

"You'd turn me into a firework!" yelped McKay, backing up a little. "All you'd need was a little heat!"

"That I must see." chuckled Ronon, amused and a little proud that his sister was able to instil fear in people if she wanted to. That would keep her out of danger.

"I don't like doing it. It's not pleasant, it hurts the creatures I do it to."

"Some creatures deserve to be hurt. Like the wraith." said Ronon in a low voice. Kaie stiffened in his arms, but she said nothing. Ronon raised an eyebrow at her.

McKay got to his feet, "Would you come back with us to Atlantis? I would really love to monitor you as you did some of these things. It would be fascinating."

Kaie pulled away from McKay, looking nervous. Ronon narrowed his eyes at McKay but McKay didn't notice. Instead he began to ramble on about all the experiments he wanted to perform, with Kaie going paler and paler.

"We could monitor your brain patterns when you're both awake and asleep, see if there's a continuous difference. Oh! Maybe we could hook you up to the ancient chair, even if you don't have the gene there's a chance you could control it. Carson, could we maybe see if this is a genetic thing as opposed to a learned thing. Maybe your genetic structure is different from normal. I bet wraith can'tfeed from you, like Ronon-"

"No!" Kaie jumped to her feet. "I'm not leaving my home! I won't!"

Spinning on the balls of her feet Kaie ran out of the room, disappearing into another. Ronon chased after her, but the door slid in front of him and seemed to vanish into the wall. Ronon slapped his hand against the wall, and called

"Kaie!" but there was no answer. Ronon sighed and turned to McKay, with a glowering expression. McKay chuckled nervously, and raised his hands in peace,

"Sorry. Didn't mean to get all…"

"'You' on her?" supplied Sheppard.

McKay shrugged, "Can't think of any other way to put it."

Ronon continued to glare at him. McKay sat down, fiddling with his fingers, his eyes darting to the computer on the desk in the corner.

"Rodney?"

"Yeah Carson?"

"Don't even think about it."

McKay ducked his head to avoid temptation, staring at his shoes.

Sheppard sighed, "Well that was… interesting."

"Yeah. I told you she mightn't be comfortable with you! Why did you have to go and scare her like that?" growled Ronon.

"I'm sorry ok. But we are talking about me here. Me! Mr. Anti-social. See this is why you brought Beckett along." McKay threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. Ronon let out a sigh that sounded more like another growl. Then he turned to the wall.

"Kaie! Kaie I know you can hear me. I'm not going anywhere. If you want the others, or just McKay to leave then they'll go. But I'm staying."

There was no response. Ronon didn't move and stood staring at the wall. The others sank into their chairs, guessing they would be there a while.

* * *

It had been three hours and McKay had dozed off, while the others were almost there, save Ronon, who'd stayed on his feet staring at the wall. He'd barely moved since he'd started this staring contest with the wall.

Suddenly the wall blinked, then changed to a door, which opened and Kaie came into the room. She'd changed her blue dress for a white one, less revealing, with sheer sleeves. She was wringing her hands and looked very anxious. Ronon relaxed as she looked into his eyes.

"It's ok sis, no one's gonna make you come with us. McKay just can't keep his mouth shut."

"It's true, he can't." agreed Beckett, lightly smacking McKay, which woke him up.

"Oh! She's back." McKay rubbed his eyes, and yawned, before saying, "Look I'm sorry if I upset you. I just… got over excited."

"It's all right. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. It's just… the idea of being in a place like Atlantis, with all its people… it, it's unnerving."

"You're a very powerful being. Even if you weren't, there's no need to be afraid. We wouldn't harm you." said Beckett, giving her a compassionate look. Kaie bobbed her head in gratitude.

"Thank you, but I'd still be uncomfortable. So I'm afraid I'll have to say no."

"That's fine." McKay was obviously crushed, but he tried to smile. It came out as a grimace.

Kaie shifted as if uncertain, before saying, "If you like… I could show you a few things. Like how to turn something inorganic into something organic."

"Oh that'd be great!" McKay jumped to his feet.

"If we go outside, I can turn a rock into a plant for you. I'm not sure what you'll learn from it though, if you're just watching and not… taking readings." Kaie was nibbling on her lips and tugging on her dresses sleeves. Teyla noticed this and said,

"Please, you have no need to feel nervous around us. We are friends."

"I know. I know… I just can't help it." Kaie threw a look at Ronon who was staring at her hard. "I mean, my brother's one thing, but you're all strangers. I'm… I'm not good with strangers." Ronon's eyes narrowed. Teyla got the feeling he didn't believe Kaie. Teyla wondered why that was. It certainly made sense that Kaie would have difficulty with strangers. "Um… this way." Kaie gestured out the entrance and led the way out. McKay and Beckett were at her heels. Ronon was the last to leave and he had a dark expression on his face.

* * *

_(3 years ago) _

Ronon's chest was in agony and his legs were weakening as he ran to the Ring of the Ancestors, hearing the familiar sound of a Dart somewhere above him. It was the only reason he kept going.

He grunted as he reached the pedestal that controlled the Ring, literally running into it. With frantic hands Ronon punched in some random symbols and pushed down on the central stone, praying it would work.

Luck was on his side, for the Ring burst into life and Ronon bolted to it, diving into the water. Less than a second later he was rolling out the other end. With practised ease he rolled onto his shoulder and landed in a crouch, from which he sprang into a sprint. The Ring shut down and Ronon slowed to a walk, willing his heart to slow as he caught his breath.

Judging by the difference in the stars he wasn't anywhere near where he'd been before. Which meant he would be safe for a day or so if he was lucky.

As his body calmed, his mind slowed too. It wasn't long before he was leaning against a tree and sliding to the ground in utter exhaustion. The Wraith had been on his tail for eight days straight, forcing him to keep moving.

Ronon knew he had to stay awake, because he had no idea if this place was safe, but his eyes shut against his will and he plunged into blackness, one that he didn't want to escape.

* * *

Ronon opened his eyes and let out a yell as he met a pair of green eyes that were less than two inches from his. The eyes retreated and Ronon sat up, pulling a dagger out of his dreadlocks and holding it out in a threatening way.

The woman stared at him with wide eyes, her hands at stomach level, palms facing him in a placating manner. Her long strawberry blond hair reminded Ronon of Melena. He was quick to shake that thought away. Those kinds of thoughts would only distract him.

"Who are you?" he growled. The woman tilted her head to the side, as if confused. It was a familiar gesture, but Ronon couldn't place it. The woman drew away from him, and then turned away, walking over to a cupboard and opening it. Ronon, expecting a weapon to be drawn out, jumped to his feet, ready to fight. Instead the woman pulled out a piece of paper and held it out to him.

Ronon stared at the paper and then at the woman, suspicious. He trusted no one anymore, seven years as a wraith runner had taught him you could only rely on yourself. Still, the woman didn't appear threatening.

Ronon snatched the paper out of her hand and unfolded it. His eyes widened as he stared at the drawing.

It was of a boy of sixteen, with hair having been tamed into dreadlocks, his arms around a frail, sweet faced little girl of eight. The two of them were smiling at something and the girl was clinging to the boy's neck.

"Where did you get this?" he snarled. His blood began to boil at the thought that this woman would have this picture. There was only one picture like this and the owner of it was long dead.

"It's mine." said the woman, her face blank. Ronon growled and lunged at the woman, grabbing her about the throat and shoving her into the wall, the knife pricking the delicate skin. The woman's eyes widened but she didn't struggle, something that surprised and confused Ronon.

"Only one person in the galaxy had this picture and she's dead! So I'll ask again. Where. Did. You. Get. It?"

"I told you. It's mine! I've always had it. You told me that if I always had it with me you'd always be around. That's what you said Ronon!"

Ronon let the woman go, feeling sick that this woman somehow knew what he'd said to his dead baby sister and was throwing it in his face.

"What are you? Some kind of twisted mind reader? You want to taunt me with memories? Is that it?!"

"Ronon… you don't recognise me?" asked the woman, massaging her throat, not moving away from the wall. Her face was oddly blank, as if she wasn't used to expressing her feelings.

"I've never seen you before."

"How many years can it have been? Has it really been fourteen years since we've seen each other?"

Ronon's fists were clenched so tight he was in danger of drawing blood. Fourteen years ago his sister had been killed. She'd been at the tender age of eight and the last time he'd seen her he'd tucked her into bed, promising to take her to the forest if the weather was fine. Then he'd gone out. The next morning he'd gone into her room and she was gone. The sun had been shining onto her bed, as if highlighting the fact that she was not there and the window was wide open. Her body was never found, but the assumption was that the pervert that prowled their neighbourhood had stolen her and killed her, then gotten rid of her body somewhere where they'd never find it.

"Ronon? Brother? Can't you see who I am?"

"I see a cruel woman who is trying to get herself killed by taunting me." Ronon raised his knife again. The woman narrowed her eyes and stared at the knife. Before Ronon's astonished eyes the knife turned into water, slipping to the ground, leaving his hand wet. Ronon looked up at the woman and went for another knife,

"I'll just do that again Ronon. You've no power here. If you attack me I'll just knock you down. I've allowed you to touch me because I want you to trust me, not because you could if I didn't want you to." the woman drew herself up, her head held high. Her voice and face were still expressionless.

Ronon lowered his hand, feeling sudden despair. If the woman was telling the truth, then he was vulnerable. He hated being vulnerable. So much so that he'd decided he'd never let anyone make him vulnerable again and anyone who did would die.

"Oh big brother… what's happened to you?" The woman reached for him.

"Stop calling me that! You're not my sister. You're not Kaie."

The woman stopped and stared at him for a few minutes. "When I was four I fell out of the kitchen window, which was on the second story of our house. You appeared out of nowhere like a sorcerer and caught me in your arms. If I'd hit that ground I'd have been killed. After that I followed you everywhere. Mum used to joke that I was your little shadow, and Dad would say he felt jealous that I wanted you to take me up to bed at night and not him. He didn't mean it though, because he worked at home and until I started school, he always took care of me, so you were a welcome break." She reached out and touched Ronon's arm, right where a very faded scar was. "You got that scar when you and your friends snuck into an abandoned warehouse, because you thought it was where they kept the guns and you wanted to play with them. Instead you found a drug house and one of the druggies went for your friend, Conan. You pulled him away and got cut on the arm, deep enough to scar. You told me never to go near a place like that, because it was too dangerous for me."

Ronon trembled for a moment, then grabbed the woman's wrist, and brought their faces close together.

"My sister died at the hands of some pervert who would sneak around our neighbourhood. She was eight years old and she died! Now stop telling me of my past."

Ronon couldn't deny that the woman was right. Everything she said had happened. But he refused to believe that she'd been telling the truth. This woman, with a curvaceous body and dark green eyes was not the same little girl he would carry to bed and tuck in with a story.

The woman sighed and pulled out of his grip. "You're right. Your sister did die, but not the way you think. She died because she wasn't allowed to live. All she wanted was to go home. But she wasn't allowed and so she died slowly, quietly, while a new person in her body learned to use the powers she had. But that person, me, still remembers you as my big brother. Ronon, look at me. Look at me. Can't you see who I am?"

Ronon stared at the woman, trying not see the similarities between the woman and the little girl in his memory. The same shaped eyes as his own, and her mouth was the same. Her hair was lighter, but was still falling into her eyes in a way that had led to their mother cutting it very short, which only made her look stupid. Now though, it was long, and the curls had fallen into ringlets.

Something in his gut told him she was telling the truth. As he stared at her, she walked towards him, her hands out towards him, just like she used to when she wanted him to embrace her. Ronon had never been able to resist that gesture, even now, and so he took her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. Kaie clutched his shirt, burying her face in his neck.

Ronon's common sense told him this wasn't possible. It told him this was a trick. But his gut was insisting this was real.

Ronon could remember spending days in Kaie's room after she'd vanished, sitting on her bed, wishing for one more chance to hold her in his arms, to tickle her stomach and make her laugh. He had always loved his little sisters laugh, even if it wasn't the most charming or beautiful of laughs. In fact it had sometimes been hard to take, because it was so loud and high. Then again, his own laugh would surprise people, not that he'd had any reason to laugh in the last seven years.

"Oh Ronon! I can't believe you're here! I always hoped I'd see you again."

"Kaie… Kaie what are you doing here? I don't understand how this is possible."

Kaie sighed, "Oh Ronon, I don't know how to tell you this."

"Just try." Ronon let her go, and stepped back, but he slipped on the water that had once been his knife and went flying back onto the bed he'd awoken on. He landed with a grunt, his cheeks warming in embarrassment. Kaie stared at him with wide eyes and then burst into giggles. Giggles that were high pitched, and reminded him of a rodent being sucked in and out of a tub, even though he'd never actually heard such a thing. But the sound was enough to make him realise that this wasn't a lie. No one could mimic that sound.

Against his will, a grin spread on his face and he began to laugh too. They both laughed until tears were falling down their cheeks. Any creatures who heard them scurried away to escape the strange sounds that didn't belong in the mouths of the people who owned them.

* * *

Reviews are always appreciated

Night's Darkness


	4. Chapter 3

Ok, I'm really glad everyone's enjoying this fic so far, and all reviews are very much appreciated. Hope people continue to enjoy it.

Have fun!

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"That's incredible!" McKay must have said that fifty times in the last hour. Then again, it was really the only way to describe what Kaie was doing. So far she'd pulled as huge boulder fly down from the mountainside, then she'd made it transform itself into lead, then silver, then calcium, then she'd spent ten minutes focusing on the calcium and after a lot of work the boulder transformed, or mutated, into a plant. Then Kaie made it swell with water and then wilt. "And this is all being done on the molecular level?"

"Not all of it. Turning rock to lead and things like that is done on the atomic level, you know, sharing out the protons and neutrons and electrons so that they're in different numbers. Like, if you have Carbon, just add 4 of each thing to it and you'll have oxygen. Or I could make it O3."

"You mean you could make Ozone? Could you transform Carbon Dioxide into Ozone? On a planet-size scale?"

"I… I've never tried it. I wouldn't like to either. It'd be draining and it would affect the atmosphere of the planet."

"What about a planet that's got too much carbon dioxide in its atmosphere and also has a hole in the ozone layer?" McKay had huge eyes and they were fixed on Kaie, who was becoming more and more uncomfortable.

"Well then I'd be concerned about how that had happened, because if it's natural I wouldn't interfere."

"And if it wasn't?"

"I'd… I don't even know if I could do it. You don't seem to appreciate the sheer complexity of the process. Do you think it's a number game? Taking the atoms apart and re-sharing the pieces to get something new? It's not! It's far more difficult. I just simplified it for your brain! The danger of splitting an atom is huge, and then fusing them all together… it's more dangerous than fighting the wraith. If I tried it on a global scale and made a mistake the whole world could blow up!" Kaie glared at McKay, and for McKay it was no different than when Ronon glared at him, reinforced by the fact that Kaie was taller than him. He quailed under the gaze and backed up.

"Sorry, it's just… it's all so amazing!"

"Yes well… in order to have this amazing ability I had to give up my childhood and my family! I'd have rather I'd had that." snarled Kaie. McKay clutched his trusty hand held computer to his chest like a shield.

"Hey, calm down, alright? McKay doesn't mean any harm." said Sheppard, trying to sound friendly but firm.

"I don't care. You show up on my planet, and you treat me like a science experiment the second you find out I'm different to you! I try to be a good host, but you just keep pushing for more!" Kaie was shouting by now. Ronon growled and said,

"That's enough." It wasn't clear if he was talking to Kaie or Sheppard or McKay. They all fell quiet. "Look I think you guys should go. I'm gonna stay with my sister, but you should go before she goes through with her firework threat."

"It wasn't a threat Ronon!" Kaie sounded exasperated.

"It is now." said Ronon, his arms folded across his chest. Kaie put her hands on her hips, her green eyes flashing with a warning temper.

"I can make my own threats Ronon!"

"I've never seen you to. In fact as far as I know you only rarely set foot off this planet and you trick people into leaving so you won't have to risk running into them." responded Ronon, giving Kaie his usual piercing stare. Kaie bristled and McKay yelped as the plant she'd just wilted burst into flames, nearly burning him.

"Are you calling me a coward brother?"

"I guess I am. And a liar."

"What?" Kaie's voice had a hard edge to it, much like Ronon's did when he was in a bloodthirsty mood.

"You're lying about something, or you're hiding something from me."

"What makes you say that?"

"I just know. I know you Kaie. You could never lie to me."

"That was sixteen years ago brother. What makes you so sure you can read me anymore?"

"Why are you so defensive if you're not hiding something?"

"Because I don't like being called a liar!" Kaie was shaking with rage and the flames began to spread. Sheppard watched them spread with wide, anxious eyes, and tried to step in between the two siblings.

"Ok, listen maybe we oughta take a step back and calm down."

Both siblings glared at one another, then at Sheppard, who wished he wasn't between them. Between Ronon's muscles and Kaie's abilities, he was in real danger of not leaving this planet in the same shape he'd arrived in. He was also aware of how quickly the fire was spreading. "Kaie… could you maybe put out the fire too? I don't feel like being barbequed."

Kaie glared at Ronon for another minute before turning her head to the fire and quenching it. McKay made more notes. Beckett breathed a sigh of relief. It was clear the good doctor was not agreeing with Ronon's promise of 'peril-free'.

"Ok, good." said Sheppard, "Now, maybe we should go and leave you two to talk things out. It's obvious you two have… issues that need to be resolved and-"

"No." Kaie shook her head, her long hair brushing over her shoulders. For some reason Sheppard found his mouth going rather dry as he watched that innocent movement. "You have to go before the night comes. I don't want you here when it gets dark."

"Why not?" asked Ronon.

"I just don't! I don't need to explain myself to you Ronon! I'm not eight years old anymore."

"I don't care. I'm your brother. I deserve a better answer than 'because'. I'm not our parents who'll have to put up with that answer from their child."

"I never did that! You were the one who always said 'because'! I never got that chance. I've spent two thirds of my life on this planet! I didn't get to experience life as a normal teenager, or even as a normal child. If it wasn't Alesh, it was you, mum and dad. Always coddling me, always having to carry me around. You never left me down for more than a minute when I was a baby and yet you wondered why it took me so long to learn how to walk."

"Because we loved you!" Ronon snapped, his eyes flashing with anger. Sheppard knew when to beat a hasty retreat.

"You treated me like a doll! Always refusing to let me play with the other children because to you I was too delicate, too frail to handle a grazed knee. I don't care whether you loved me or not. You kept me from enjoying my childhood and then my childhood was stolen from me." Kaie was trembling with rage and lightning flashed overhead. Beckett and McKay gulped. Sheppard cast his eyes to the sky and then said in an overly cheerful voice,

"Ok! Well, it's been fun, but it's time for us to be going. We're sorry for bothering you."

"Well you should be. Get off my planet." snapped Kaie, not looking away from Ronon. Ronon's eyes widened in surprise as he realised she was talking to him and if Sheppard wasn't mistaken, there was a flash of hurt in the Satdetan's brown eyes. Kaie's voice faltered for a moment as she said, "You heard me. Get off my planet." and then she turned away, and stormed into her home. As she passed into the cave, the mouth vanished and became solid stone.

Thunder cracked, lightning flashed and the heavens opened, drenching them in seconds. The team began to run, making for the Stargate.

"Ronon! We must go!" called Teyla when Ronon didn't follow them. Ronon stared at the solid rock, looking overcome. Then, clearly against his own will, he turned away and jogged to catch up with them, a dark expression on his face.

* * *

Ronon had stormed off to the training room where he and Teyla liked to spar and meditate (or nap in Ronon's case) when they'd returned, and had barricaded himself inside, without a word to anyone.

McKay, once he'd dried off, had explained in a rapid, breathless way to Elizabeth and Zalenka what Kaie had been able to do. It was clear the scientist was eager for the chance to run some tests on the young woman.

"Don't you see the potential for her? If we gave her the specs for a ZedPM she might be able to whip one up from a rock! Imagine how many we could have. We could power the whole city with her help." McKay was bouncing on his feet, a huge smile on his face.

"Of course, that's only if she's willing to help. You did say she wasn't overly welcoming to you. And the fact that she threw you off her planet, would suggest that she's not overly interested in us approaching her." said Elizabeth with a raised eyebrow.

"Minor details." said McKay, waving his hand in the air to dismiss the point. "Maybe we just caught her at a bad time, or… or maybe we can just send a female only team next time."

"Female only team?"

"Well… it would be reasonable to assume that since she's a woman, she'd be more comfortable around other women."

"Not necessarily Rodney. If she's lived for sixteen years on her own with only some ascended being to keep her company, then it won't be so simple as her being more comfortable around women. For all we know she might be more awkward around other women." said Beckett, his face drawn into an anxious expression. "I got the feeling that the isolation has made her rather unstable. It'll make her unpredictable."

"Yeah, plus all that power, it would kinda add up to a dangerous person. Maybe we should let her contact us. You know, maybe after a few days, she'll contact us. I doubt she'll stay mad at Ronon for very long." said John,

"I agree. Perhaps allowing her to make the next move would be best." Teyla's eyes met Elizabeth's to show she believed this. Elizabeth nodded, she agreed with them.

"Ok, we'll give it a few days, if Ronon wants to contact her, then that's no business of ours, but we'll wait to see if she'll make the next move."

McKay looked crushed at the idea that he'd have to wait. Zalenka saw the look and rolled his eyes. Lucky for Rodney, Zalenka had found some rather interesting machines in a newly discovered room that would hopefully keep him busy for a little while.

* * *

Ronon growled to himself as he hit the fight dummy too hard and it broke into pieces. He hadn't ever felt this angry towards anyone but the wraith, and yet here he was, feeling it towards his own baby sister. And he hated it!

"Ronon?"

Ronon whipped around to see Beckett hovering in the doorway.

"What is it?" he grunted.

"I just wanted to ask you something. It's about what Kaie said."

"Which part?"

Beckett took this as an invitation to enter the room and he did so, standing so he was about two metres away from Ronon. Close enough for familiarity, but well out of harms way should his probing enrage the man.

"Kaie mentioned that you would, um, coddle her and not let her play with other children. I was just wondering… was she a premature baby when she was born?"

Ronon's head snapped up in obvious shock and Beckett knew he'd been right.

"How'd you know that?"

"Sometimes premature babies can upset a family deeply. They can be overprotective of the baby. This isn't a bad thing but… well… I was just curious and-"

"She was two months premature. Scared my mum half to death and my step-dad couldn't sleep at night until she came home." said Ronon, almost blurting it out. "She was tiny when she was born and the doctors said she wouldn't survive. She was called a miracle by the hospital staff. She was always delicate, and bruised so easy… she was so fragile." Ronon's voice became softer and quieter as he spoke, his arms folding across his chest, his eyes gaining a far away look, clearly lost in the past.

"I see. So you felt you had to protect her. You were afraid that something would hurt her."

"I'm her big brother! I'm supposed to protect her. I was supposed to keep her safe." snapped Ronon, starting forwards. Beckett managed not to jump. "Do you know how long I hated myself because I thought it was my fault she died? Or how I felt when I found her again. It was like a gift for being a runner for so long."

"So… you met her before we met."

Ronon grunted. Beckett took that as a yes. "Then how come she didn't remove the tracker? I'd bet she could have done it a hell of a lot better than I did, without causing you pain."

Ronon turned away, his head down, a dark expression on his face. Beckett wondered, in a rather Rodney way, if the man had used up his quota of words for the day.

"The Wraith came to her planet. I stayed too long. Kaie gave me an address and told me to stay as long as possible on it. I did what she told me. Just when I was about to leave… you guys showed up."

"She knew we'd be going there?" Beckett couldn't keep the shock out of his voice.

"Knew, made you go there, who knows? Either way, I went, you came and we met."

"Bloody hell, you don't think she knew what would happen do you? That I'd be able to remove the tracker, and you'd come to Atlantis?"

"Maybe. I don't know." Ronon leaned against the wall, shadows being thrown over his face. "She's changed."

"Well, I'd be amazed if she was the same as she was when she was eight."

"No! I mean… she's changed since I found her three years ago. She wasn't like she was today when I met her. Something happened between the two times… something to make her… colder almost, more dangerous. She was unstable before, not really certain what she could do to hurt people, how she could hurt them, but that seems to have changed. She's more focused this time, before she was all over the place. Something big must have happened and I'm gonna find out what."

The look in Ronon's eyes told Beckett that the tall man wouldn't let anything stand in his way to finding out the truth, and he felt rather sorry for anything that tried.

* * *

Kaie walked into her bedroom, brushing her fingertips over one of the posts of her four-poster bed and then sat down at a dresser. Staring in the mirror she massaged her temples, willing away a headache. But the memory of her brother and the look in his eyes when she'd told him to leave wouldn't go away and with it stayed the headache.

"Ugh!" she moaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. All that showing off had tired her out, but she'd made sure no one would underestimate her, without directly threatening them. That was how she worked, subtly and subterfuge.

A pair of hands touched her neck and Kaie's breathing hitched just a little. The long, cool fingers began to stroke her skin, pushing her hair out of the way to reach more of it. Kaie leaned into the touch, relishing in it.

"You got in?"

"Yes. There was no difficulty." The fingers brushed against the nape of her neck and then moved over the curve of her neck, to her collarbone and down to the slight swell of her breasts, ghosting over the pale flesh. The fingers made no attempt to move any fabric aside, content to touch the exposed flesh, and nothing more. Kaie's eyes closed.

"Your brother will return. You do realise that?"

"Yes, I know he will. But I can handle it. He won't find out about it. I can keep him in the dark."

"He already suspects something."

"I see you've been watching me."

"I like to watch you." Lips brushed the curve of her neck, and Kaie reached up to run her fingers through soft hair. "You know that."

"I do. I know you like to watch me squirm."

There was a soft chuckle, the breath tickling her skin, "Especially when it's me making you squirm."

Kaie smiled, brushing her fingertips along a firm jaw. Her dress was pushed off her shoulders and pulled down to pool at her waist. Strong arms circled her waist and the cool lips made their way down her spine, making her shiver, arching her back a little.

"Come to bed."

Kaie giggled as she was swept into the strong arms, and carried to the bed, her arms around his neck, her mouth finding his and pressing against it. His lips were cool but his mouth was hot. As they lay down on the bed, Kaie pulled the curtains across with her mind, concealing them in their own private cocoon. Then she returned to the task of undressing her mate, knowing exactly how to undo the cumbersome clothes, managing this without breaking the kiss between them.

His hands were stroking her stomach and her face, careful, gentle. Kaie smiled.

"I love you." she whispered in his ear. He stared down at her, then kissed her, nipping her lips carefully. Crimson blood rose to the surface of the delicate skin, pooling under it.

"I love you."

He was strong, but tender, something that continuously surprised her, keeping his arms around her as they kissed and touched. Kaie closed her eyes and focused on him, feeling his enjoyment as well as her own.

"You won't leave me?"

"Never." he murmured, "Now be quiet." And he silenced her with another kiss. Kaie shut down her mind, focusing on just him and just her, nothing else but them and the bed they lay on as they joined their bodies and minds in such a wonderful way it made her weep every time. He wiped away the tears without a word, and then lowered his mouth to her hip, sucking on the skin over the swell of her hip, hard. Kaie moaned, arching her back, tugging at his soft hair.

When he pulled away there was a definite bruise on her skin and she smiled. Then she dragged him back up to her mouth and bit on his lip, then nipped her way down his neck, until she finally settled at his Adam's apple and sucked hard on it. He grunted, and then sighed, running his long fingers through her longer hair, his other hand tickling her side a little.

"Keep that up and I'll bite you." she warned playfully.

"Wouldn't be the first time." he muttered. Kaie grinned at him and he allowed a smile to pass over his normally serious face. He wasn't one for showing his emotions.

His pale fingers stroked the bruise on her hip that marked her as his, while she nuzzled into his neck, kissing his bruised Adam's apple. It was hard to believe that the gentleness they were using now was not the way they had always treated each other.

"Are you scared?" Kaie murmured, looking up at him.

"No. I've learned that fear is a useless thing. So I channel it into more useful feelings. Like anger."

"I know what you mean." Kaie rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat strong within his ribcage. Her fingers traced seemingly idle symbols into his chest. "This will be over soon. Then we won't have to worry about anyone but ourselves."

"Good. Soon we'll be free of the universe."

"Yes. Soon we'll be free."

"We just need to deal with your brother and his friends."

"Leave it to me."

* * *

Hm, not mad about those last few lines, but couldn't think of another way to end it. 

Reviews are like chocolate, there can never be too much of them.

Night's Darkness


	5. Chapter 4

Thanks to all my reviewers, hope you all (readers included) continue to enjoy this fic!

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"How much longer is he gonna do this?" asked Sheppard, watching as Ronon paced back and forth in front of the Stargate. The ex-runner had started the morning after they'd returned from Kaie's planet and so far didn't seem to have stopped for food, rest or the toilet. Beckett was a day away from sedating him and forcing feeding him. Sheppard admitted that he'd love to see that, because it would never happen.

"I suspect he'll continue until Kaie makes contact. Ronon is stubborn." said Teyla, watching him, feeling sympathy for her friend. She couldn't imagine what was going on in his head. To have only one remaining family member and not be able to see them. and not because something is keeping you from them, but because they don't want you around them, must have been very painful.

"Yeah, well that doesn't look to be happening-"

The Stargate lit up with an oncoming wormhole. "-any time soon." finished Sheppard. Then he turned to Teyla, "Don't you just love it when that happens?"

Teyla gave him a small smile as she went down to join Ronon who was staring at the Stargate, hope in his eyes, even if his face was as blank as ever. Teyla touched his arm for reassurance and he spared her a glance as the Stargate burst into life.

Elizabeth went to the control room and asked, "Is it one of our teams?"

"No ma'am."

"Raise the shield then."

The technician obeyed, but frowned in confusion and alarm when the shield didn't activate.

"It's not working."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, the shield won't activate."

"Alert the marines." Elizabeth hurried down to Ronon and Teyla, telling them the situation.

"It's Kaie. She's probably doing it."

"If it is her, why hasn't she come through?"

"I don't know. My sister's not what you call normal."

Just then something came through the gate. It landed on the ground with a 'clack' and slid across the ground to Ronon's feet. The stargate deactivated. Ronon picked up the object. It was small and flat, similar to the hand held scanner of McKay's. He looked it over and then pressed the only button on it. the screen lit up.

"'_Come in an hour. Bring whatever equipment you want, but only the people from yesterday may come.'_"

"Not exactly eager to welcome us back."

"Any invitation is good enough for me." said Ronon, throwing Sheppard a look. Sheppard nodded,

"We'll get McKay and Beckett."

"Make it quick."

"Got it!"

* * *

Kaie was waiting for them at the stargate. She was dressed in a fuchsia blouse with wide sleeves and hugging bodice and black trousers. Sheppard wondered where she got her clothes, then he realised she probably made them herself. Kaie would have no issue fitting in among normal Earth humans, her sense of style was impeccable. Then he realised that she had probably chosen that outfit to look more earth-ish, using information she'd gotten by watching the people on Atlantis.

Ronon walked down the steps so he was right in front of Kaie, and he stared at her hard. Kaie stared back without flinching. Ronon tilted his head to the side and said, smiling a little,

"We both got mum's temper."

"Of course we did. Comes with the mouth." smirked Kaie.

It was as if the incident before had never happened. Even so, Sheppard saw Ronon watching Kaie closely the whole time she greeted the others with polite charm.

"So… McKay, what did you bring with you on your… M.A.L.P is it?"

"Oh, just a few machines to monitor various things." said McKay, smiling airily as Kaie eyed the huge pile of bags mounted precariously on the M.A.L.P.

"Just a few?" repeated Kaie, then she rolled her eyes, throwing Ronon a look. Ronon shrugged, rolling his eyes too in the exact same way. Teyla smiled at the connection between them.

"Ok, maybe more than a few but you have no idea how big this could be for us. If there's a chance we could learn to do what you can, it would give us a huge advantage over the Wraith and would probably change the world of science."

"Which you'd take the credit for of course, as its discoverer." said Beckett in a false cheery voice. Rodney's smile fell.

"Yes… well… I wouldn't exactly take _all_ the credit, I would merely be truthful in my account and since I'll probably be the one to apply these abilities to our world I would assume that I would be given at least a Nobel Prize… maybe two."

"And all the while poor Zalanka and your other scientists would be left in the shadows to stew." said Kaie in a biting voice.

"How do you know Zalanka?" blurted Rodney, looking highly alarmed.

"I can see Atlantis from here if I try. And I've been watching over my brother since he left my planet. Suffice to say I've gotten to know your… habits Doctor." said Kaie, smirking at the way Rodney looked very disturbed, his eyes wide and a glum look on his face.

"Really? Huh… um… shall we get started, we don't want to waste your time."

"We'll go to the lake… unless you need a power source."

"Nope, we, we brought our own." Rodney was clutching his hand held computer over his chest like a shield that might somehow protect him from the possibly crazy woman that was Ronon's sister. Scratch possibly, certainly was the real word.

Kaie turned and walked away. Ronon followed without a word, letting the others bring up the rear. As they walked through the forest, Sheppard peeked through the trees and squinted to see what was beyond the trees.

"Is that a statue over there?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Statue?" Kaie slowed and looked. "Oh that. Yes, it's a statue. Now."

"As in it wasn't always?"

"I can do more than turn you into a firework Colonel."

"I see…"

Beckett gulped, looking very nervous. Kaie paused and looked at him and smiled at him. "Don't worry Carson. I wouldn't harm any friend of Ronon's unless they gave me fair cause. And since I know you're a likeable man, I'm sure we'll have no issues." Her green eyes flicked to McKay as if to say _'Your colleague on the other hand…'_

Beckett chuckled, highly amused, especially since Rodney hadn't noticed the look.

"What kind of animal life exists in this area Kaie?" asked Teyla, looking around.

"Well there's Bendylegs, and Big-tongues, and then there's predators like Feather-heads, and Little-Beaks." Kaie glanced at the team who were staring at her with bemused expressions. "I was nine when I named them. What did you expect? Besides, they make more sense than a long name no one knows the meaning of."

"True." agreed Sheppard, then he grinned, "I know what some people would call the elephant on account of that joke."

"What joke?" asked McKay.

"You know, the one about the camel and the elephant."

"Oh, aye, that one. How terrifying if we were to name the elephant something in that context." said Beckett wryly.

"I've never heard of this joke, what is it?"

"McKay before we met you'd never heard of any joke. And this one isn't really appropriate with female company." said Sheppard, grinning. Kaie looked over her shoulder at Teyla and they shared an exasperated look. It was clear they were both thinking _'Boys!'_ .

* * *

Ronon had always appreciated his naturally quick reflexes, which had only improved with his years as a runner, but now he really appreciated them as his arms shot out to catch his sister as she fell from the sky. Kaie groaned and blood dripped from her nose to her pink blouse. Her skin was shiny with sweat and was going paper pale.

"Kaie!" he called, trying to bring her back. Kaie's green eyes focus on him and for a moment something not quite sane flickered in them. It scared the hell out of Ronon, though he hid it. Then it was gone and she sat up looking furious.

"I told you enough was enough!" she snarled at Rodney who looked so nervous he might have just wet himself. Ronon held Kaie's slimmer body against his broad one, half to restrain her and half to calm her. His sister's temper had gotten worse than he could ever remember it being.

"I… well… you said you could do it!"

"And you listened to me?" asked Kaie, looking at McKay like he was an idiot. "In the amount of time you've known my brother have you ever known him to back down from a challenge?"

"Well no-"

"So why did you think I'd be any different?" Kaie struggled in Ronon's grip. Ronon held her tight.

"Kaie calm down. You're over reacting." he said, trying to calm her down. But, along with Melena and his old life, he'd lost that part of him that actually knew how to sooth someone when the wraith had attacked his homeworld.

"So I'm the one that's in the wrong? Is that what you're saying?" demanded Kaie, swiping under her nose to get rid of the blood.

"No! I'm just saying McKay's a guy who doesn't know when to quit. He wasn't tryin' to hurt you or push you too far."

Kaie snarled and threw Ronon's arms away from her, knocking him away. Rodney let out a little noise of terror and jumped behind Beckett whose eyes widened in fear as Kaie looked at them. Sheppard's hands tightened on his gun, although he prayed he wouldn't have to use it.

Suddenly a stick hit Kaie about the shoulders and then dropped to the ground. Kaie looked at it and then turned her glare to Ronon who had another stick in his hands, holding it like a sword. There was a challenging smirk on his face. Kaie held her hand out and the stick flew up into her hand and she brandished it like a sword.

"Oh it's on Ronon!" She lunged at him. Ronon sidestepped and used his stick to catch hers, swinging it back, nearly pushing the stick out of her hands. Kaie went with the movement and spun on the balls of her feet, managing to get around quick enough to deliver a blow to Ronon's side. Ronon retaliated and knocked her to the ground. Kaie let out a sound that sounded like a laugh and a snarl all at once. Ronon ran off, disappearing into the forest. Kaie chased after him.

The team was left standing by the lake feeling very bewildered.

"She's definitely not conventional." said Beckett after a moment.

"Easily distracted too." said Sheppard.

"Yes, well, lets give thanks for small mercies. I really thought she was about to turn me into a firework there." McKay clutched at his chest, sitting on a tree stump. "My life just flashed before my eyes."

"That was quick." smirked Sheppard. McKay glared at him.

"Your concern is overwhelming."

"Kaie is unpredictable. With her powers that makes her dangerous." said Teyla, sounding concerned.

"Ronon seems able to handle her."

"What if something happens that angers her more and he cannot?"

"Well… we'll cross that bridge if we come to it."

"She's got the temper of a child." said Beckett, "Which isn't surprising."

"It isn't?"

"Not really. I mean, if she grew up with only an ascended being of some kind as a role model and from the sound of it not a very good one, then she wouldn't have been taught to control her temper. You'd be amazed the effect that can have on the resulting adult. Although I don't know much about it. Be better off to ask Dr. Heightmeyer."

"Might not be a bad idea."

"Where did they go?" asked Teyla, looking around for Ronon or Kaie. There was no sound or sight of them.

"I'm sure they'll be back. Hopefully when Kaie's in a better mood. McKay, have you got enough data to chew on?"

"Oh tons! I mean she maxed out some of the charts. She is incredibly powerful. It-it-it's almost like she's got the power of an ascended being, only she's not ascended.

"It sounds almost like she's the exact opposite of what happened to you last year with that ancient device that rewrote your D.N.A." said Beckett.

"Yes, thank you for reminding me of the loss of my temporarily gain genius and near death as a result, but in a sense you, amazingly, aren't wrong. It does seem that she's evolved in some ways, but never achieved that mental part that allows for ascension. What's odd though, is that it hasn't killed her."

"Odd, in a good way right?"

"Well at the moment that's up for debate." muttered Rodney.

"McKay!"

"Ok, sorry, yes it is a good thing… for you. You're not the one she keeps through evil looks at."

"Well maybe if you weren't so… you with her then she'd like you more."

"What you expect me to stick gel in my hair like you and sound like a guy who didn't go to collage for her to like me? Thank you but I'd rather she kill me."

"Yeah you would." sneered Sheppard. Teyla shook her head as she saw a fight on the horizon. Beckett scratched at his temple, a bland look on his face.

"Anyway, I think we could use some medical tests, like a blood test." McKay clicked his fingers at Beckett. "Carson you do that, take a blood sample from her and uh, run every test you can think of on it. See if it turns up anything unusual."

Beckett sighed and said, "I'll ask Kaie if she'll consent to that."

"Yes, yes, you do the polite doctor bedside manner thing while I get some actual work done analysing these readings." McKay waved Beckett away as if Carson had been the one to suggest the blood test. Carson shook his head in exasperation, wondering how he considered this man his closest friend at times.

"And we'll just sit and wait." said Sheppard, sitting on a fallen tree. Teyla sat beside him, looking around. "So… think Ronon will win against his sis?"

"Ordinarily I would have said yes, but this is anything but ordinary."

"Yeah… it's kinda bordering on a bad sci-fi episode. All we need is for Kaie to have some connection to the wraith which throws her in a clichéd evil light and add some cast bonding and we'd be pretty much there."

Teyla stared at him, one eyebrow raised. Sheppard shrugged. "What?"

* * *

It was three hours before Ronon and Kaie returned, both laughing, both muddy, and both with leaves and branches in their hair. They were sweating and out of breath from all the running around they'd done. But at least Kaie was in a better mood now.

"Sorry about my loss of temper earlier." she said as they arrived, "I've been pretty moody lately and I'm not used to letting it out on humans."

"Perfectly fine." said Rodney, smiling.

"You know, I think you ought to apologise for pushing me too far." said Kaie, folding her arms across her chest, just like Ronon did and staring at Rodney with a look that rivalled her brother's. Ronon saw it and grinned.

"See, I didn't push you so much as you interpreted-"

"McKay!" snapped Sheppard. McKay jumped and then said, in a very strained voice,

"I apologise for pushing you."

"I accept."

"Good."

"Have you learned anything of use?"

"Well… I'm not sure yet… I mean I still need to analyse the data more thoroughly, but if I had to hazard a guess I'd have to say… no."

"What! How could there be nothing?" demanded Sheppard.

"Well, it's complicated, but if my theory is correct it looks like Kaie isn't quite your typical human in a biological sense. That's why I wanted a blood test. I think Kaie's more highly evolved than any of us would be, and I'm guessing that's how she was able to harness this ability." said McKay, his voice getting louder and faster as he explained himself. Kaie looked upset. Ronon looked stoic, but his arms were tight across his chest.

"How could she be any different from me? We're related."

"Well… we've never been able to explain why the wraith couldn't feed on you. I'm thinking somehow you're both a slightly more evolved form of human, its possible all Sadetan's are, maybe something on that planet resulted in speeding up your evolution just a fragment."

"If the wraith couldn't feed on us why would they cull us?" said Kaie

"We were a threat to them. They took us out." grunted Ronon, his dark eyes glinting with barely suppressed fury as he remembered the last few weeks on Sadeta. Kaie touched his arm to comfort him. Ronon's shoulders relaxed.

"So… after all those tests you've been able to determine that I'm a freak? Well I already knew that. What was the point in my wasting my power and my time doing all those things for you?"

"Well, at least you know now."

"But I already knew it."

"You're not a freak Kaie." said Ronon, sounding insulted for her.

"Oh Ronon, I was born a freak, I'll live as a freak and I wouldn't have it any other way." sighed Kaie, waving her hand at Ronon who narrowed his eyes. But he wasn't looking at Kaie's face. He was looking at her hip. Her blouse had hitched up a little when she'd moved her hand and the large, angry purple bruise on her white skin stood out like a sore thumb. Kaie didn't react but she pulled the blouse down over her hip again, but it could have just been to block out the chilly wind that was blowing. Ronon's eyebrow twitched, but he said nothing.

Teyla looked around. "It appears to be getting late."

"You've been here 8 hours and 21 minutes." said Kaie.

"Your powers allow you to tell time accurately?"

"No. I taught myself to tell time by the sun. I can do it to the minute now. Maybe someday I'll be able to do it to the second." Kaie shrugged. "Are you hungry? I could feed you."

"Sure. That'd be lovely." smiled Beckett.

"Of course." Kaie gestured back towards her home in the mountain. "This way."

They followed her back and Ronon fell into step with her,

"Hey?" he said in a low voice. "I gotta ask."

"What?" Kaie seemed tense.

"That tree, the one that looks like a wraith?"

Kaie relaxed and grinned, "Was it really a wraith?"

"Yeah."

"No."

"Really?"

"No. I got bored one day and made it grow like a wraith, so I wouldn't get lost when I went for long walks."

"But… by the time you'd have been able to make the tree grow like that… wouldn't you have already known your way exactly?" asked McKay, eavesdropping.

"McKay, my sister couldn't even find her bedroom on her own when she was seven. She wouldn't have a hope of finding a cave with such a wide, covered area to walk through."

"It's true."

"But couldn't you just fly there?"

"Flying is only a recent thing I can do, and it's more floating than flying. Besides… I don't like using my powers so much. It's better to do it in moderation. Keeps you human."

"Really?" McKay picked up his pace to get to Kaie's other side.

"It seems that if you take your time, learn as opposed to speeding the process up with technology, you can be powerful, but retain your human body. I'm not all powerful, not by a long shot and I know I can be wounded, but I'm still more powerful than any of you." There was no smugness in Kaie's voice. She was stating a fact. And that was why they believed her.

* * *

"I don't see it."

"How can you not see it?" Kaie gave her brother an exasperated look and pointed up at the sky. "See, there's his horn, and there's his eye and there's his fist. Ergo, you have the Devil."

Ronon craned his neck and looked, but in the end he lay back down on the ground, saying, "All I see is stars."

"You have no imagination Ronon."

"Never had time to use it, guess it died. Yours seems to be as lively as it was when you were a kid."

"I had to imagine my friends for company. Sufficed to say my imagination's at peak efficiency." Kaie rested her chin in her hand, resting her elbow on her knee, her legs crossed as she sat beside Ronon.

"You had imaginary friends even before you disappeared and you had friends at school."

"Hm, maybe, but none who would could compare to the ones I created from my mind. Pity I never figured out how to make them real."

"'d be creepy."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, things in your imagination should stay there. Once they become real… they can turn bad. Even when you imagined that they'd be bad, they'd be worse than you expected."

"I never thought of that. Suppose you're right. What came out of your imagination that turned worse than you expected?"

"What makes you think it happened to me?"

"Because you never say such powerful things unless you've experienced them."

Ronon looked away from the sky at his sister, smiling sweetly at him, her eyes alight with curiosity.

"When the wraith came."

Kaie's smile fell at once and her shoulders tensed. Ronon looked at the sky again, feeling dry leaves crack under his head.

"I always knew if they came they'd be bad. But they were worse than I could have ever thought up. Because they were real. So long as they're in your head, you can reassure yourself that they're not real and you can get rid of them, even though that can be hard. But… once it becomes real… you can't undo that."

Kaie stared at Ronon for a long time, before saying,

"Do you want to kill every wraith?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever thought that there could be a good wraith out there?"

"Not for a second. Wraith are monsters and deserve to die."

"Why?"

"Why? Kaie they hunt us down and kill us, use us to survive."

Kaie stared at Ronon even harder and then looked to the side. Ronon followed her gaze. A Bendyleg was grazing a little way away. Bendylegs were very similar to Earth deer, with long tails and greenish coloured fur. It was peaceful and beautiful. Kaie reached out a hand.

At once the Bendyleg began to move, as if dragged, towards them. It let out bleats of fear as it dug its hooves into the ground to stop itself, but it was all in vain. Soon the Bendylegs neck was in Kaie's hands. Ronon sat up.

"What are you doing Kaie?"

"I think I'll kill this little creature."

"Why?" Ronon wasn't sentimental about the animal, although it was hard to completely ignore its bleats. But he knew his sister cared about them, so why would she harm it.

"Because he will feed me. I will use his body to survive." Kaie's voice was blank.

"Ok, I see where you're going with this, let the creature go Kaie." said Ronon, reaching out to pry her fingers from its neck.

"Where am I going with this?"

"You're gonna say we're really no different from the wraith since we eat animal meat."

"Maybe. What do you see when you look at this creature?"

"I see a frightened animal."

"You feel sorry for it?"

"A little I guess." Ronon shrugged. He'd never been one for great compassion for animals. Kaie raised an eyebrow.

"What about now?"

Ronon felt hungry. No, he felt ravenous. This hunger was punishing him, tearing through him, made him want to cry out. A scent flew into his nose and he blindly reached out for it. The scent promised food. His hands closed around the food and he felt it struggle to get away. No! He would feed. He had to. If he didn't he would die. His hands snapped in different directions.

The hunger vanished at once and the Bendyleg lay in Ronon's lap, it's neck broken, his hands still gripping it. Ronon felt shaky and stared at the dead animal. Kaie rose to her feet.

"Good night Ronon. I'm sure you'll have no issue finding the Stargate. See you tomorrow."

Turning away, she disappeared into the forest, leaving Ronon with the dead Bendyleg in his lap.

* * *

Reviews are always appreciated

Night's Darkness


	6. Chapter 5

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter. Hope you all like it.

Please keep in mind that the things the characters discuss about vegetarianism are based on my knowledge of the characters and some thoughts I've had from listening to others. It's purely for the story, and I'm not criticizing anyone in any way, shape or form.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"I'm telling you. That woman is starting to creep me out." said Sheppard as he watched Ronon's retreating back. The ex-runner had just returned and had joined Sheppard, McKay and Teyla in a late dinner, telling them about what Kaie had said and done. It was clear the killing of the Bendyleg had caused Ronon more distress than he wanted to admit. He probably didn't even understand it really.

"She is… disconcerting."

"Yeah, try freakishly terrifying." said Rodney, shaking his head. "I thought she was going to kill me today for what happened."

"You might easily have killed her with your pushing Rodney." said Teyla in a light scolding tone.

"Oh come on! You'd think she'd have more sense to know when enough was enough and not just do what other people tell her."

"I gotta agree with you there McKay. She's the one who ought to know better." sighed Sheppard, not liking how he felt. Kaie's unpredictable temper and her incredible powers had kept him from really liking her. She posed a huge threat to Atlantis if McKay's data was right (and it probably was) and she was so easy to provoke. It made Sheppard edgy.

"I must admit, she really ought to be more mature than she is, especially since she is aware of how dangerous she could be."

"Maybe that's why she's so childish. If she can just make us explode with a thought she probably doesn't feel she needs to behave around others, she can just scare them into submission." grunted McKay around a mouthful of mashed potato.

"McKay… do you think you could try to find a weakness about her? Some way we could render her powerless if she poses a threat?"

"I can look. There's probably some way of neutralising her abilities short of rendering her unconscious. Maybe some sort of electrical current that will knock her body out of whack for a while."

"What good would that do?"

"Well, if I can figure out how she controls the atoms, obviously its not magic, so it must be some kind of energy, a brainwave of some sort, then I might be able to figure out how to shut that brainwave down."

"Wait. You can't seriously expect her to turn into a threat to the city. She's temperamental, I agree, but even so, should she not be given a chance before you assume that she'll turn on us?" Teyla looked at the two men. "How will Ronon feel when he finds out about this?"

"Well, we don't exactly plan on telling him, but if he finds out, I'm sure he'll understand."

"Course if he doesn't he'll be the biggest hypocrite in the universe. We all know he'd be the one to say this sort of stuff if it was anyone else."

"That is true. But this isn't anyone else. This is his baby sister. Who he loves."

"Teyla, we don't want anything bad to happen, but it's better to take a few precautions."

"I know, and I agree, but I just… I am not comfortable with hiding this from Ronon, and I do not feel Kaie would do anything to betray us. She's simply… unstable."

"I'd go for insane, but you've got the idea." said McKay, shovelling another load of potato into his mouth. Sheppard grimaced. Teyla stood up. "Where you going?"

"I feel the need to meditate tonight before I go to bed."

"Oh, well have fun." McKay waved his knife at her. Teyla nodded, walking away. She felt heavy, worried. She was in two minds about Kaie.

On the one hand there was the obvious danger she posed, and how powerful she was. Then on the other, Teyla felt a strange pity for her, not just for what she lost by being taken, but for the fact that she seemed both afraid and desperate for company. Her lack of social skills was really no different than one culture not understanding another and not being shown what was appropriate and what was not. It was obvious Kaie was lonely, but didn't know how to handle company, nor did she know how to control the fiery temper she shared with her brother.

As she mused Teyla wondered what had happened when Kaie had gone to other planets. Had people discovered what she was and tried to hurt her in fear or take advantage of her? Was that why she didn't go anymore? If it was, Kaie was embarrassed about the fact that she was afraid. That much was clear from her reaction to Ronon's accusation that she was a coward.

Teyla went into the training room and sat down, crossing her legs. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, centring her mind with practised ease. As she sank into her meditation, she came to a decision. Whatever would happen would happen, and they would deal with it when it did.

* * *

"I'm not sure I can do this." said Kaie, her lips pressed to a firm, lukewarm chest. Fingers that had been running through her hair stilled at once and she winced, regretting that she'd said anything.

"What?" His voice was deliberate, trying to sound calm. Kaie sighed and looked up, resting her chin on crossed wrists over his chest.

"I don't think I can do this. I just… I hate lying to Ronon."

The fingers tightened in her hair, pulling it just enough to hurt and she was pulled to meet a pair of glinting eyes.

"We agreed." he hissed.

"I know but-"

"But nothing!" He rolled them both over so his body was pressing hers into the bed, his fingers still pulling on her hair. Kaie winced. "We agreed to this plan."

"I know! I know! But please try to understand. This is my brother we're talking about. How can I do this to him?"

"You'll have to. I can't keep coming back here if I don't know when he'll keep showing up. He'll kill me without a second thought. Is that what you want?"

"No! Never." Kaie put her arms around his strong shoulders, pulling him closer, wrapping her legs around his waist. "I just… it's hard."

He tenderly stroked her face, kissing her, his fingers releasing her hair. "I know. But it's for the best. We both know that."

"I know, but I just wish… I just wish there was some other way."

"I know you do. Believe me, I do to." His lips moved down her neck, down her body, all the way to her stomach where he pressed his lips to her skin. "But it's for the best."

Kaie wiped her face, feeling tears in her eyes. He wiped them away with his thumb and then pressed his thumb against her lips, so she could taste the salty droplets. She licked away the tears and then bit down, drawing blood.

He yelped in surprise, and then growled, dragging the injured digit over Kaie's cheek, smearing the blood across her skin. Then he scrapped his teeth over her skin until he reached her hip, biting down hard and drawing blood himself. Kaie moaned and leaned her head back. He licked the bite mark, then moved back up to kiss her mouth hard. Kaie giggled into his mouth, gripping his head in her hands tight, so he couldn't pull away. He grunted as Kaie rolled them over, so she had the dominant position, keeping him pressed against the bed.

Kaie pulled away and pressed him down by the shoulders. "Tell me you love me." she commanded.

"I love you." he said, his eyes smiling up at her, even as his face remained passive. Kaie smiled,

"Now, tell me you want me."

"I want you."

"Good. Now, tell me- oh!" Kaie grabbed her head with a grimace, all playfulness forgotten. He sat up at once and put his arms around her, looking up into her face, concern ghosting over his features. Kaie trembled, then sagged in his grip, her face grey and her lips white.

"Has it passed?"

"Yes. Oh… my head." Kaie whimpered, pressing against him.

"Just rest a moment, you'll be well soon."

"Knowing that doesn't make the feeling lessen." she pouted. His lips twitched upwards and his long fingers pushed her askew hair out of her face.

"I know. But what else can I say?"

"Nothing, that's the problem."

He kissed her shoulder, feeling her shiver and hearing her heartbeat speed up at his touch. "Rest. I can wait."

"I shouldn't have done so much today."

"No, no you shouldn't. But at least now you've proven your danger to the Atlantians."

"Can we not talk about it now? I don't want to think about it."

"As you wish."

He lay back, pulling her with him so she was nestled against his side, her body moulded to fit the contours of his. He ran his fingers through her hair, his other hand brushing over the bite on her hip, which made her shiver in pleasure. The colour was returning to her lips and he nipped them to encourage them to flush with more crimson. Then he chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"Us. Only a short time ago I was prepared to kill you for what you'd done to me."

"Only a short time I was too crazy to care. Things change."

"Indeed."

He closed his eyes and remembered well how their first little session had gone.

_(Flashback)_

He woke up tied to a table, inside a strange room. His eyes flew everywhere as he tried to recall what had happened. Then he snarled in fury as he remembered. His children! His powerful children were dead! Some twisted creature had murdered them, turned them to stone.

"You're awake! Good."

He turned his head towards the voice. The woman slinked up to him and ran her fingertips over his bare chest. He thrashed, trying to pull free. The woman smirked.

"You'll just hurt yourself if you keep that up. Those bonds are a fascinating mixture of soft plant and titanium. That means they're flexible, but too strong for you to break."

"Release me."

"Why?"

That gave him pause. He'd been expecting a 'no'. "Because I demand it."

"Are you in any position to demand anything?"

He growled, irritated by her words and her tone.

Her long hand pressed against his chest and she pushed him down, holding him still, with no effort it seemed. He was shocked. He was strong, despite what others of his kind would have believed. A human female should not have been able to do what she was doing.

"You're not human."

"Not completely I suppose. Although to be honest, I don't know what I am exactly." She dropped her hand. "I'm Kaie."

He stared hard at her, not about to tell her his name. Kaie smirked,

"You don't have to tell me, I know who you are. And I don't really care."

"What do you want with me?"

"I told you when I found you. I want a pet. You'll do, as soon as you're broken in anyway."

"You think you can break me?"

"I know I can."

"You'll be working a long time. It would save us both much time and effort if you release me."

"So you can try to kill me? I think not." Kaie paced around the table, her arms folded a frown on her face. He watched her, straining his head, trying not to feel afraid of what she might have planned for him.

Kaie stopped right where she'd started. Then she sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead. He was completely unprepared for the pain that assaulted his mind. It felt like his head was being twisted into a tight coil and pulled apart. He couldn't hear it, but he knew he was screaming. Then it stopped and he sagged, panting hard. Kaie stared at him with curiosity.

"Strange. No other creature I've done that to has reacted so strongly."

"I can't imagine why!" he yelled, shaking from the experience.

"Perhaps its your advanced brain. Most of the creatures I've done it to have had smaller, less advanced brains. Bugs, Bendylegs, and Feather-heads. None of them let out noises like that." Kaie cocked her head to the side, observing him like an experiment. "Perhaps it is because you appear so human, that your reaction to me seems stronger. For all I know a bug experiences the same sensations, but I can't tell because I'm not a bug."

"You must be insane!" Try as he might, he couldn't ignore how her suggestion that he was human made his skin crawl.

"Insane? No. Just… different." she smirked, a glimmer of insanity in her eyes. He gulped as she lifted her hand. "Don't worry pet. I'll be more gentle this time."

_(End Flashback)_

"I don't want to think of it. I'll feel guilty." pouted Kaie, cuddled against him. He drew her close.

"Then we won't think about it anymore. Now rest."

"Ronon's coming back tomorrow."

"… rest."

* * *

"I have to say, I never really bought into the whole vegetarian diet thing." said McKay out of nowhere while he reviewed the data from Kaie. Sheppard, who'd been dozing, blinked and looked at him.

"What?"

"You know, that argument that vegans and vegetarians always use. Eating meat is cruelty. Always sounded like a bunch of nonsense."

"How so?"

"Well, first of all, humans are naturally omnivores, that means they are mean to eat both meat and vegetables, not just one or the other. When you consider the amount of compensating you have to do to go vegetarian it hardly seems worthwhile to me. Secondly, these days, most animals are treated rather well, considering their whole purpose in life is to feed us, at least the ones bred for such things."

"What about chickens?"

"You can buy organic!" McKay rolled his eyes.

"Ok, what about cows being led to the slaughter so you have a steak on your plate. You can't honestly tell me that doesn't disturb you?"

"Well… in that sense, no, but that's only because these days people are so used to commercialisation, they think food just magically appears in the shops. People are very distanced from their food and where or whom it comes from."

"Not all of them." Sheppard shrugged,

"Ok, not all of them, but a lot are."

"You being one of them."

"As a matter of fact I have no issue with admitting that I don't really think about where-"

"Or whom."

"-My food comes from. And when I do I feel rather nauseated."

"You just contradicted your own argument."

"How!?"

"Because you just said that the idea of eating meat is cruelty was nonsense and now you say you feel nauseated by the thought."

"I feel nauseated, but only because I am not one for blood and guts, not that it's cruel."

"Aren't plants living things?"

"They are classified as living things yes."

"Then… technically it isn't that much of a difference, is it? Eating plants instead of meat… you just don't see the blood and guts."

"That's a rather good point actually." McKay looked surprised. "Still… doesn't make me feel any better when it comes to the wraith."

"Yeah. I mean… to them, we're the cows, but even so… there could be a better way to go about it."

"Like going vegetarian?"

"Not nessesarily. Why not target other animals, not us?"

"I believe every other creature in the universe aside from humans may have just straightened up and glared."

"I guess that is kinda pompous of us… damn there is no answer to this one!" Sheppard shook his head, trying to clear it.

"I guess the key is to just not think about it. Maybe that's what the wraith do. Like we don't think about where our steak came from, they don't think about where their energy comes from."

"Or maybe they're just ok with it."

"Possibly."

"Doesn't explain the evilness though, does it?"

"No, no it does not."

* * *

Beckett stared at his file, containing the test results for Kaie's blood sample, feeling slightly nauseous.

"Oh fan-bloody-tastic! When Ronon hears this he'll hit the roof." Beckett grimaced, and then comforted himself with the fact that until he spoke to Kaie, he was honour-bound to keep his gob shut. That ought to keep him alive for a time, at least until he could find one of those portable shields McKay had used once.

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed this, reviews are always appreciated!

Night's Darkness


	7. Chapter 6

Sorry for the long wait, I was away on hols.

Hope you all like this chapter.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Ronon was watching his baby sister- it didn't matter how old she got he would never stop seeing her as that- as she hovered in the air above a large lake, stretched out like she was lying on a bed. Her eyes were closed and a gentle wind was making her hair and dress blow around her. She looked like something out of a myth. Then McKay sneezed.

Kaie's eyes snapped open and she dropped like a stone, right into the lake. After a moment she emerged, soaking wet, and spluttering with fury.

"McKay!" she snarled, treading water.

"Sorry. Summer cold." McKay shrugged apologetically. Kaie growled and dived under the water. After a few moments she emerged again, hauling herself out of the lake. She threw McKay a furious glare and Ronon wasn't sure if he could be bothered to calm her down this time. McKay kept doing stupid things, even though he knew Kaie could kill him with a thought.

Kaie sighed and then shoved past McKay, pulling at her dress, disappearing behind some bushes.

"What have you learned?" she called, from the bushes.

"About you? Well, I found an unusual brain wave, could be that that's what allows you to do everything you do. I'm still analysing data."

"Then why did you come back?"

"Because we… thought you might like the company."

"… I see." Kaie re-emerged, fixing the sleeves of a new dress, blood red in colour, loose and short, only going halfway down her thighs. McKay was trying not to drool. Ronon rolled his eyes. "Why did you think I'd want company?"

"Well… we just… um…" Sheppard looked stumped at that question.

"You don't need to keep returning if you don't want to."

"We want to. I want to." said Ronon without hesitation.

"That's sweet. But to be perfectly honest, the less people I'm around the better. For everyone."

"Even me?" Ronon tried to hide how the idea that she didn't want him hurt. Kaie's expression softened.

"Oh Ronon, it's just too dangerous. For everyone."

"Why? Because you could loose your temper and blow us all to bits?"

"Essentially yes."

"No problem, we'll just leave McKay behind from now on."

"I don't think that will be-" Kaie grimaced and touched her head, tottering to the side. Beckett and Ronon both grabbed her elbows and steadied her.

"You ok?"

"Oh… I hate it when this happens." All the colour had fled from Kaie's face, leaving even her lips white. She crumpled to the ground, holding her head.

"What was it?"

"A ripple… they happen from time to time."

"Ripple of what?"

"Energy, kind of like... if a supernova happens close enough I'll feel it sort of thing. Kinda the downside to being able to see whatever's happening in the galaxy. Really saps my energy and gives me a headache... suffice to say it's unpleasant."

"I'll bet." Beckett shook his head.

"Help me up." Kaie gripped Ronon's arm and he lifted her to her feet. She rubbed her head, grimacing. Then she smiled and said, "I'm ok now. But I'm not doing anymore parlour tricks for you."

"Parlour tricks?"

"Well that's what you treat them as."

"Not at all! These abilities you have are amazing, they shake the foundation of science. I mean they are just… too cool!" exclaimed Rodney, grinning at her. Kaie shrugged, looking disinterested. She had bruises on her neck, and to Sheppard at least, they really looked like hickeys. Teyla eyed them with some bewilderment as well. Ronon just stared.

"So… you want us to leave?" asked Ronon at last. Kaie looked uncomfortable as she looked up at him, straight into his eyes.

"I just… this constant company, it's hard for me to get used to. I'd just like a day to myself. Do you understand?"

Ronon's eyes looked around the forest, searching for something. Kaie seemed to get even more nervous. At last Ronon said,

"Yeah, I get it." and he turned around, walking away. Kaie looked guilty, but she just turned and walked away in the other direction. Sheppard sighed and followed Ronon, with the others behind him.

* * *

"You want to _what_?!"

"I want to take a jumper to the planet, beam down before Kaie realises I'm there and find out what she's hiding."

"Ronon, she's given us no indication that she's hiding anything."

"So you just turned a blind eye to the bruises on her neck and hip?"

"No, but I doubt they were caused with the intention of pain." Teyla raised her eyebrows, trying to convey her meaning to Ronon.

"I'm still going."

"So she's got a secret boyfriend? What does it matter?"

"It matters because everyday she's got new bruises and becomes more edgy with us. Why would she say she's not comfortable with constant companionship if she's seeing this person every day? She's hiding something bigger than some boyfriend."

"Yeah, but the second she sees us she might turn us into fireworks!" said McKay, grimacing.

"She won't. Not while I'm around."

"Forgive me if I don't find that comforting."

"Look, whatever's going on, I want to know. And you lot know damn well if it was your little sister you'd be doing the same."

They shared a look. None of them could deny that.

"You'll need someone who can operate the jumper." said Sheppard.

"And you might need back up." said Teyla.

"And… you might need someone who will enrage your sister all the more." sighed McKay.

Ronon grinned a little, "Thanks."

* * *

"Ronon's suspecting something. All of them are."

"You should be more careful."

Kaie rolled her eyes as she let him press her against the wall, reaching up under her dress. His hands were cold, making goosebumps rise on her skin, and her breath hitch in her throat.

"Well, I would tell you to do it, but somehow I doubt that would work."

He chuckled, his mouth against her cheek, "No. I'd be shot on sight. And your brother would never leave."

"I could make him."

"You couldn't, for the same reason you haven't done what you were supposed to already. You can't hurt him."

Kaie whimpered as he touched her, not noticing how her back was pressed into a rough wall of rock, or how cold it was.

"I can't, you're right." she managed to say. "So what do I do? How can I drive him away?"

He bit down on her lip, while one hand stroked her stomach. "You'll think of something, I'm sure."

Kaie looked into his glittering eyes and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him so hard she probably bruised him. He growled deep in her throat, carrying her to the bed and dropping her down, before divulging himself of his cumbersome clothes. Kaie grinned at the sight of his strong body before her and she reach out, running her fingers over his chest, tracing faint scars as she did. He shuddered and looked away, looking uncomfortable. Kaie looked up at his face and sighed, removing her hand. He loved to touch her, but wasn't so comfortable with her reciprocating. His hands reached out and her pulled off her dress. There was nothing underneath it.

"Lie back." His voice was a hushed whisper, his eyes hungry. Kaie smiled and lay back on the bed, stretching herself out. He stood still, admiring her for a few moments. Then he climbed onto the bed and began to run his fingertips over her face, hovering his own over her. He smiled. It was barely there, but it was enough to soften his face, make him look tender. Kaie stroked his brow, smiling back. "You are beautiful." he whispered, trailing his thumb over her forehead, following the flow of her nose, over her lips and down her neck. Kaie shivered, closing her eyes. His lips touched hers in a chaste kiss, then he drew away. His hands skimmed over her sides, before he kissed her abdomen. "Beloved. You are my beloved."

"And you're mine."

"I won't leave you."

"I know you won't. I will never let you go."

Kaie opened her eyes to see his smile widen a little and then disappear. Emotions never remained for long on his face.

"Enough talk. Show me how much you love me." she said, sitting up and opening her arms. He nodded and kissed her hard, pushing her under him.

"I plan to."

* * *

"How can you be certain Kaie won't notice us when we're in orbit?"

"I'd say she's distracted at the moment, seems the person, whoever he is, arrives at night. It's night now."

"So… because she's distracted, she won't notice you're there until you're in her room."

"Exactly."

"You really don't care that, if it is a boyfriend she might be somewhat… busy?"

"Nope." Ronon shook his head. Sheppard rolled his eyes. He wasn't sure what he hoped was really going on, but if Kaie was busy, he felt rather sorry for who she was busy with. "You're coming too."

"Excuse me?" Sheppard spun around in his seat.

"I'm not goin' alone."

"Why not?"

"'cause, might need someone to hold me back."

"Ronon, a seven foot wide wall wouldn't hold you back."

Ronon shrugged. Sheppard sighed.

"I will accompany you as well." said Teyla.

"Ok." Ronon charged his weapon.

"You, uh, think you're gonna need that?"

"Never know."

McKay gulped.

"We're there, let's go." Sheppard left Beckett manning the jumper, while he and the others went with Ronon.

"Good luck." sighed Beckett, wondering how he'd been roped into this thing. He transported them down.

"RONON!" The screech was almost immediate as the light from the transport faded. Kaie was in bed, and she was pulling the sheets to cover herself as they looked around, blinking.

"Hey Kaie." said Ronon like this was completely normal.

"What are you doing here?"

"Came to see what you're hiding."

"Hiding? You think I'm hiding something?"

"I know you are. Where'd that new bruise come from?"

Kaie's fingers stroked her neck, where a new bruise was forming. The dark sheets were pulled up like a tent around her, so anyone else in the bed was hidden.

"Ronon, this isn't any of your business."

"Yeah it is if you've gotta hide it from me."

Kaie snarled, "Ronon, you wouldn't understand."

"Understand what? Who're you hiding Kaie? Who else is in the bed?"

Kaie stared at Ronon, and then sighed. Then she looked at someone hidden among the blankets.

"Come up. No point now."

There was a heavy sigh and then someone sat up, curling their arms around Kaie, keeping the sheet around her. Ronon's eyes went wide and he let out a furious snarl.

"You!"

Teyla gasped, her mouth hanging open in shock. Sheppard inwardly swore and McKay's eyes bugged out.

"Michael?"

* * *

Out of curiosity, did anyone guess it was him Kaie was with? I'm sure a good number did and were kind enough to keep it to themselves.

Night's Darkness


	8. Chapter 7

Hey there folks! Sorry for the long wait, but once I got home I had to de-programme my brain so I wouldn't write in Spanish… and then I needed inspiration. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope you like it.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Kaie was crouched on the ground as she watched her pet gasp for air. He was exhausted from her… what was she doing exactly? Kaie didn't really know.

"You are fascinating." she murmured, reaching out and stroking his chest. Michael shuddered and jerked, trying to pull away, even though she was not hurting him.

"And you are insane!" he gasped, glaring up at her.

"Maybe… but then again, who could blame me if I was?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean, I've lived here, alone, for so long and all this power within me, I don't know what to do with it. I am afraid to try anything too big, in case I lost control… but I'm so bored with doing small things." Kaie straightened up and began to pace. "I am insane, but it's the only way to survive."

Michael watched her, bewildered. Kaie walked back to him and before he could blink, she'd straddled his waist.

Kaie brought her face down to his, so they were almost touching noses. Kaie cocked her head to the side, "You understand that, don't you? About going to extreme lengths to survive."

Michael recalled what he'd said to Teyla, justifying his creation of his soldiers. That he'd created them to ensure his own survival. He understood that, but didn't see her point.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"You went to extreme lengths to survive by creating your monsters that now decorate my garden, and I went to extremes to survive by becoming just a little insane." Kaie smiled, walking her fingers up Michael's chest. Michael grimaced at her touch, repulsed by it. Kaie's face changed from curious to sad, a pout forming on her lips.

"Don't like me do you?"

"I hate you. You murdered my creations."

"They were created to commit murder." Kaie shrugged, still pouting as she drew circles on his bared chest with her fingers.

"And now you hold me prisoner, torturing me. What's more, you're human, or at least you look like one and they repulse me."

"Why? What's wrong with humans?" Kaie was genuinely curious about Michael's opinion of her kind, if she was even human anymore.

"Your kind mutilated me! You changed me from a Wraith to a Human and now I'm stuck, not Human, not Wraith, an outcast and a freak to both species. Thanks to humans I have no place anywhere."

"Like me." Kaie smiled, touching his cheek. "You're like me. I don't have a place anywhere either."

"I do not care about you."

Kaie scowled, "You're a nasty freak." The pout was back on her lips. Michael fought not to flinch from her words. Kaie stood up and stared down at Michael, her face an expression of childish authority. "You know, if you weren't so mean I wouldn't be doing this to you. We could be friends."

"I have no need of friends, and I wouldn't want to be your friend even if I did." hissed Michael. Kaie's lip trembled and she crouched down again, holding her head in her hands. Michael watched her from where he lay immobilised on the ground. Kaie looked up and Michael was shocked to see she was crying. For some reason, which was beyond him, he wanted to wipe away her tears. He shook the thought off and glared at her. Kaie snivelled and rocked herself a little, hugging her torso. "I just wanted a friend." she whimpered.

"And did you think that torturing me would make me your friend?" sneered Michael. Kaie shook her head,

"You were bad. You hurt people, you killed people. You needed to be punished."

"In your opinion! Thanks to your kind I've been outcast from mine."

"Your people kill mine."

"We must feed. It's no different than the fact that you feed on animal flesh." Michael grimaced at the very thought. Kaie pursed her lips and wiped her tears away.

"I suppose you're right." Kaie stood up and clicked her fingers. At once Michael sat up, free of the force that had been holding him down. He stared up at Kaie with confusion. Kaie looked confused too.

Turning away, Kaie said, "What's the difference between Wraith and humans? Are you not the same?"

"Are humans not worse?" hissed Michael. "We cull, but you breed the creatures just to feed off their flesh. We may cull you, but you play the part of a deity by forcing an entire species to live only to feed you. We do not. We do not round you up and keep you locked up for all your lives. We do not choose the best male and make him mate with all the females to ensure strong off spring. So long as there are enough of you to feed off of, we do not care how you live your lives."

As he spoke he approached Kaie slowly, waiting for her to turn around. She didn't.

"I suppose that's true." said Kaie, shrugging, "But you instil fear where you need not."

"How do you know you don't instil fear in your creatures that you devour?" whispered Michael. He was so close to Kaie, he could smell the scent of her hair. Kaie sighed, turning around,

"I suppose you may be-"

Michael's hand shot out and he pressed it to her chest. Kaie gasped as he began to feed from her. He was hungry.

* * *

The team didn't have much time to react before Ronon drew his weapon and pointed it at Michael.

"Ronon no!" snapped Kaie, sitting in front of Michael, shielding him.

"Get out of the way Kaie."

"I said, no!"

"Don't you see what that thing is? He's a Wraith! He's a murderer!"

"Ronon put the gun down before I take it away from you." Kaie threatened, holding up a hand in warning. Ronon glared at Michael.

"What did you do? Use some sort of Wraith trick to control."

"I wouldn't have a hope of doing such a thing." said Michael, sounding calm, emotionless. "Kaie is far more powerful than me."

"Dear God! You're sleeping with him?" asked McKay, sounding disturbed. "Can you even do that? I thought that wasn't how the Wraith-"

"McKay shut up." said Sheppard, reaching out a hand and gripping Ronon's huge shoulder. "C'mon Buddy. You know as well as I do that Kaie will take that gun away from you if you give her a reason, so put it down and let's talk about this."

"What's there to talk about?" growled Ronon, "My sister's in bed with a Wraith. That's all there is to it."

"There is far more to it Ronon. Michael is not an ordinary Wraith." Kaie looked at Michael over her shoulder and smiled a little. One hand reached out and stroked his cheek. Michael stared at her and leaned into the touch, looking content. Teyla furrowed her brow as she noticed this. _'Strange.'_

"Kaie, get away from him."

"No."

"He'll kill you."

"I would never harm her." said Michael, not looking away from Kaie. "You do not harm what you love."

"Wraith can't love!" hissed Ronon. "You're killers, and monsters. Monsters can't love."

"Well then I can't be a monster, because I love her." said Michael, his voice still near emotionless. Kaie took hold of his chin and kissed him on the lips, slow and sensuous. McKay looked nauseous. Ronon just looked ever more pissed off. He charged the weapon and fired it. Kaie's hand snapped up and the blast froze halfway to them. They didn't even pause in their kissing. The energy from the gun condensed together and then morphed into a pretty white flower that looked like a cross between a daffodil and a rose. The flower then drifted over to Ronon and seemed to be offered to him. Ronon hissed and smacked it out of the way. Kaie broke her kiss with Michael and rolled her eyes as she turned her head to Ronon.

"If you're going to be grumpy we'd better get dressed so we can have a proper discussion."

"That might be a good idea." said Teyla. Kaie nodded but didn't move. Neither did the team who were waiting expectantly. At last Kaie raised her eyebrows at them and waved her hand at them, indicating she wanted them to leave. Ronon growled and didn't move.

"Oh for goodness sake Ronon!" snapped Kaie, throwing the sheet away and standing up, naked as the day she was born and walking over to a wardrobe. Michael did the same, equally naked, and picked up his clothes. Sheppard noticed the way Michael's skin was covered in scars. He wondered who'd done that to him. McKay was watching Kaie with wide eyes, unable to tear them away from the naked woman as she looked through the clothes in the wardrobe, not at all embarrassed by her lack of clothing. Michael seemed equally unbothered as he pulled on his clothes. Kaie picked white trousers and that same pink blouse from before and dressed.

When she was done she turned to Ronon and her eyes told how furious she was.

"Ronon, you have no right to be here."

"I do if my sister's sleeping with a Wraith."

"Alright! Yes, I'm sleeping with a Wraith! Can you move your dull witted brain past this fact now? What does it matter to you?"

"It matters because I refuse to believe that you could just do this. The Wraith destroyed our homeworld! They killed our parents-"

"And Michael is automatically lobbed in with them just because he was once part of the Wraith species? Then I guess every human is guilty of every atrocity that the species has even committed, even when they had no involvement, and didn't even know about it! They still need to be punished don't you think?"

Sheppard tried to step in, "Ok, lets all just calm down-"

"Tell you what Ronon, why don't I go and kill every Genii, because since their governments corrupted and cruel, surely the people, including the little babies that were born yesterday are involved in it. So why don't I just go and kill all of them to punish them."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that if you're gonna lob every Wraith in together why don't we do that for every race. Every member of a species is accountable for the crimes of a single individual! Let's do that, shall we?" Kaie was shouting by now, her cheeks flushed with complete fury.

Michael touched her arm, his voice strong and sure, "Enough. This is not helping anyone. We must try to remain calm."

"You say another word and I'll kill you whether or not Kaie's got great power." snapped Ronon.

"You even think it and I'll turn you into a firework!" hissed Kaie.

"Kaie he's a murderer! He murdered whole colonies to save his own skin?"

"And how many Wraith have you murdered to save yours?"

"That's different?"

"How?"

"The Wraith were hunting me!"

"Just like Humans were hunting Michael. You're such a hypocrite Ronon!"

Ronon let out a roar and lunged towards Michael, as if he was the one saying all this. Kaie held up her hand and Ronon was repelled back by an invisible force. Ronon snarled and pushed forward. Kaie grunted and threw her hand forward. Ronon flew back and crashed into the wall. Michael grabbed Kaie's hand.

"Enough. There's no need for this."

"I won't let him hurt you."

"You've ensured my safety. There is no need to harm your brother to do it." Michael's eyes gave Kaie a tender look, his fingers stroking hers in a chaste, yet somehow intimate way. Teyla found herself feeling touched. Kaie sighed and curled her fingers around Michael's, relaxing her arm. Ronon got to his feet. He made no move to attack again, but if looks could kill…

"Where're your bug friends Michael?" asked Sheppard, narrowing his eyes. The part Wraith looked at him and gave an almost imperceptible sigh.

"Dead. All of them."

"All of them? How?"

Michael looked at Kaie, but said nothing. Kaie rubbed her thumb over the back of Michael's hand and looked only at him as she said,

"Michael came to my planet one night, with all of his creations in tow. I'd known about them from my… link to the universe and I decided to kill them when they arrived."

"What? On a whim?"

"Yes. I was… less sane then than I am now. Thanks to Michael… I've regain most of my sanity. But at the time, killing the creatures seemed like a bit of fun, and I kept Michael here, with me."

"As some sort of prisoner?"

"Sort of." Kaie still looked only at Michael. Michael said nothing, just stared into her eyes. Not in a cheesy, dreamy sort of way, but with the kind of connection that cannot be described. An understanding of kindred souls. Sheppard grimaced. This would not end well.

"And now you're… I'm a little confused here." McKay looked both bewildered and slight nauseous. It was a classic Rodney expression and it helped ground Sheppard in this seriously twisted situation.

"Look, obviously this is awkward, maybe it's best that we go."

"Good. Go, and don't come back." Kaie looked straight at Ronon as she said this. "If I have a brother who's a hypocrite and blind, then I don't want a brother."

Ronon straightened up and stared straight at her. In his eyes they could all see the way his fury was crumbling into horror and the hurt in his brown eyes upset his team mates.

"Kaie, there's no need to be so cruel."

"It's Ronon who's being cruel. It isn't my fault that he's such a hypocrite." Kaie was shaking. Michael looked uncertain as he put his arms around her. "Get off my planet!"

"Fine! But don't be surprised when he kills you!" shouted Ronon. Kaie's eyes widened and the ground began to shake. Michael tightened his arms around her, and he said,

"You have to leave now."

"Yes, oh please let's do that." said McKay in a squeaky voice. Sheppard activated his radio,

"Beckett! Transport anytime now!"

"On it."

The light filled their eyes and when Sheppard blinked he was in the Jumper again. Beckett turned around in his seat.

"I'm picking up an earthquake! What the bloody hell happened down there?"

"Kaie's boyfriend? It's Michael." said Sheppard as he sat down and took over piloting, thinking it was best they got out of there fast. Ronon sat down on the bench in the back, resting his elbows on his knees, his head hanging down. He said nothing for most of the trip. After a while, as they neared Atlantis, Teyla sat down beside him.

"Are you alright?"

"My baby sister chose a Wraith over me. No I'm not alright." Ronon's voice was quiet, almost emotionless.

"Ronon… perhaps your reaction put her on the defensive. Maybe if you give her a little time, she'll contact you again."

"Why would I want anything to do with a sister who threw me out over her Wraith lover?"

"Ronon, she's lonely, and you don't know how they came to be like this. I think you should give her a chance."

"As long as she's sharing a bed with that thing, I have nothing to say to her."

Dr. Beckett sighed, his mind weighed down with a slightly different worry.

* * *

Out of curiosity, whose side are you on? Who do you think is right? Kaie or Ronon?

Night's Darkness


	9. Chapter 8

Here's the new chapter, thanks for being so patient with me

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Michael grimaced as the earth continued to shake. Kaie's rage was so bad that the consoles that helped monitor the planet were being overloaded with 'natural' disasters. Earthquakes, eruptions, tsunamis and more. If Kaie didn't calm down soon, she'd destroy their planet.

Michael got to his feet, having fallen over a few moments ago, and staggered out of the cave and into the pouring rain. The sky crackled with electricity, and hung heavy and low over the forest.

Kaie stood still in the chaos, her arms stretched out, and head tilted back. Michael approached her with caution, knowing how dangerous she was when she was like this. The ground gave an extra rumble and Michael lost his footing on the soaking ground. He grunted as his elbow hit the ground hard.

"Kaie! You have to stop now!"

"No! I won't!" shouted Kaie. Her whole body was trembling with the energy pulsing through her.

Michael got to his feet and stared at her.

"Kaie, you cannot control how others feel."

"He should see past his hatred, for me!"

"It's not that easy!"

"IT SHOULD BE!" she screamed, turning around to face Michael, "Why can't he accept that I love you?"

"Why can't you accept that he can't?" retorted Michael.

"Whose side are you on?" demanded Kaie.

"Yours. Always yours, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with you."

Kaie let out a sob, tears mixing with all the rain that was flowing down her face. "My brother… my brother."

Michael saw she was beginning to loose her anger, and he reached out his hand. "Kaie, please. Stop this now, before you hurt one of us."

Kaie sniffed and shook her head, looking frightened, "I can't. I can't make it stop."

Michael sighed, "Forgive me for this."

His hand shot out and pressed against her chest, right over her heart. Kaie screamed as Michael drew out her energy, taking it into himself. At last she collapsed to the ground and Michael caught her in his arms. Kaie began to cry in earnest, burying her face in Michael's chest and sobbing, clutching onto his shirt. Michael held her in his arms and rested his cheek against her head.

"Ronon. Ronon. Ronon. Ronon." Kaie moaned, shivering in the cold now that she'd been weakened by Michael. Above them the clouds began to calm although the rain fell harder before it began to slow. Michael gathered Kaie up into his arms and carried her into the cave as the sky began to clear. He paused at the threshold of the cave and looked up at the stars. One in particular seemed to twinkle at him, and Michael sighed. He knew that, despite the fact they'd achieved what they'd wanted, things were far from over.

* * *

"What the hell is that?" demanded Sheppard as he looked at the viewscreen of the jumper.

"It looks like a huge storm focused right over Atlantis." McKay lifted his trusty handheld consol and quickly brought up some readings. "I've never seen anything like it. It's huge! And the amount of electricity in it would be enough to power a country for a week!"

"Is that a lot for a thunderstorm?" asked Sheppard, eyeing the massive black cloud

"It's way too much! And Atlantis is right in the middle of it."

"This is Colonel Sheppard calling Atlantis." hailed Sheppard over the radio.

"Dis is Zalanka. Good to hear your voice Colonel Sheppard."

"Radeck can you confirm my suspicion that it's too dangerous to bring the Jumper down in that storm?"

"Much too dangerous Rodney. Ze Jumper is likely to attract the electricity. You could be killed." Zalanka's voice was distorted by the storm and they could only just understand him.

"So what do we do?" asked Beckett, looking anxious.

"I vould recommend dhat you take the Jumper to the nearest planet with a Stargate and use it to get back. It should be safe to do dhat."

"Agreed." said McKay. He clicked his fingers at Sheppard, "I'm transmitting coordinates now. Get us there as quick as you can."

"On it." Sheppard sighed, wondering what else could go wrong that day.

* * *

When they finally got back to Atlantis the storm had gotten worse. The city had been shut down where possible to help prevent attracting the electricity of the storm.

"We don't know where this came from. One minute it was clear skies and dha next…" Zalanka shrugged, looking bewildered.

"It just came outta nowhere?" clarified Sheppard, feeling a dreading feeling creeping up his spine.

"Yes, exactly."

"Aw don't tell me..." groaned Beckett as he listened in.

"She couldn't have. Could she?" asked McKay, pulling up the weather data for the past day, examining it closely.

"She was pissed as all hell." Sheppard pinched the bridge of his nose before taking a sly peek at Ronon. The big guy looked two seconds away from killing someone.

"You have a theory?" asked Weir as she joined them.

"Yeah. We pissed Kaie off and she set us a storm as her way of getting back at us."

"What happened over there?" asked Weir, raising an eyebrow at him. Her eyes were steely, demanding an answer. Sheppard grimaced,

"Well we transported into Kaie's bedroom –Ronon's idea- and caught her… making the beast with two backs with… Michael."

Elizabeth's eyes nearly popped out of her head and Zalanka muttered something in Czech under his breath before edging away from Ronon. A wise decision.

"Michael? As in… our Michael?"

"Yup. Our Michael."

"Well what happened?"

"Kaie made a choice." grunted Ronon. He clearly didn't appreciate this discussion. "She chose him."

"Chose him? I don't understand." Weir looked between them then up at the ceiling as the light's flickered in warning and then a great rumble of thunder grumbled overhead, sounding far too close for comfort. McKay gulped and he and Zalanka ran off muttering things about generators and whatnot. Ronon stalked off. Where he was going, no one wanted to know.

"Ronon kinda gave Kaie a choice, him or Michael. In the end Kaie chose Michael."

"She chose a Wraith over her brother?" exclaimed Elizabeth.

"Michael still looks caught between Wraith and Human. And he seemed to care for her." said Teyla, feeling the need to state her opinion on this.

"He did? To me he just kinda stood there and let the two siblings argue."

"Did you not see the way he held her hand as he asked her not to harm Ronon?"

"Michael told Kaie not to hurt Ronon?"

"Ronon tried to attack Michael, Kaie sent him flying and Michael told her to stop."

"He was very… gentle with her. And Kaie was fierce in her protection of him."

"How in the world did those two…?"

"We dunno. To be honest, I'm not sure we wanna know." Sheppard grimaced. "Anyway, Kaie basically kicked us off the planet, told us never to come back and we left."

"Ronon did not take it well."

"I can imagine. Will he be ok?"

"I am not sure." sighed Teyla, looking after Ronon, "I suspect he will try to hide how much this hurts him."

The lights flickered again.

"_McKay to Weir."_

"Go ahead Rodney."

"_The storm isn't dying down Elizabeth, in fact its growing steadily."_

"Is there anything we can do to disrupt it?"

"_I don't think so? I mean I've no idea if it'll peak and then die down, but right now we need to concentrate on protecting ourselves, because this storm could seriously damage Atlantis' systems."_

"Do what you can."

"_Understood." _

Elizabeth sighed as she switched off her radio and fixed Jon with a sharp look, "Ronon might not be the only one hurt by Kaie if this storm doesn't die down."

"Maybe she will calm and end it soon."

The lights went out and the back-up generators brought the back ups online.

"Let's hope she does."

* * *

It had been two days and the storm had only gotten worse. It had spread to the mainland and from what they could tell it was wreaking havoc with the plant and animal life.

"What are we gonna do? We're running on minimal power." demanded Weir.

"Well, I hate to be the one to suggest this, particularly in the same room as Ronon." McKay gestured to the Sadetan who was leaning against the wall with a dark expression on his face. "But maybe we could, you know, ask Kaie to stop the storm."

"Do you really think she'll do it?"

"Look, I don't know, and quite frankly I'd be amazed if she did, but what other choice do we have?" demanded McKay. Thunder shook through the city. "This storm is getting worse by the hour and soon it could destroy the city, even consume the planet!"

Weir sighed and glanced at Ronon, who said nothing, only continued to glare at the ground. "All right. Dial up the Gate."

McKay ran off and keyed in the coordinates. Once the Gate had 'whooshed' into life, Elizabeth took the reigns.

"Send through on all radio channels." She tapped her radio and took a deep breath before speaking again, "Kaie, my name is Elizabeth Weir. I am the head of Atlantis. I understand you and your brother had a disagreement, but that does not excuse this storm you've created over Atlantis. If you don't stop this storm you could destroy this city and this planet. I'm asking you, politely, to stop this now."

There was silence for a few moments, and just as they began to think they wouldn't get a response, the consol in front of Elizabeth activated and displayed a face. It was Michael.

"Hello Dr. Weir." he said in a soft voice. Elizabeth drew herself up in alarm, although she managed to keep her face serious.

"Hello Michael."

"Great." whispered Sheppard to Teyla. Elizabeth ignored him.

"Michael I need to speak with Kaie before she destroys my city." Elizabeth managed to keep her voice strong and firm.

"You mentioned a storm." said Michael, "You believe Kaie is the cause of it?"

"She's the only possible reason for it. This planet does not experience storms like these and there's no reason for such a storm to be occurring. Kaie is the only one who could have done it."

"That is not possible. Kaie is…" Michael looked away from the screen. The barest of frowns was crossing his face. It was strange how emotions seemed to flow over his face like liquid, passing over it and then disappearing like they'd never been. "Unless…" he whispered, then he looked at the screen, "One moment." and he pressed a button on the consol, switching the view to another room. The bed in the centre told them it was the bedroom. A small figure was huddled up in the middle of a sea of blankets and pillows.

As they watched Michael entered the room and went straight to the bed. He reached out and gave the figure a soft shake.

"Kaie. Kaie wake up."

The figure moaned and shifted, before letting out something that sounded like a sob and a moan caught together. Michael reached out with both hands and made Kaie sit up. Kaie groaned and tried to push Michael away.

"Kaie, you have to listen to me. Did you send a storm to Atlantis?"

"Wha… nngh, leave me alone." Kaie's head flopped around, she looked more weak than sleepy. Michael took hold of Kaie's chin and forced her to look up into his eyes.

"There is a storm over Atlantis. They say it's your doing. Is it?"

"What… no… I… I… oh Gods!" Kaie began to wail and she pulled away from Michael, crawling over the bed, and down onto the floor. She tore at her hair, moaning and whimpering.

Michael seemed to repress a sigh and he crouched down beside her, "Kaie, listen to me!"

"I can't make it stop Michael, it's too big… I don't have the strength." whimpered Kaie, "I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it. It just happened and then I couldn't make it stop and you… and now I can't…" She pressed a hand to her chest, struggling to breathe. She rocked back and forth, panting. Michael grabbed hold of her shoulders and Kaie looked up at him, before her head fell back. Michael pressed his hand to her chest.

"Kaie!" shouted Ronon, lunging forward from where he'd been standing in the background, watching. Kaie screamed, and Michael groaned. Then Michael tottered and fell to side. Kaie panted, and blinked a few times. She looked much more alert now and she pulled herself to her feet.

"Shut down the Gate. We're coming through." she said, looking at them through the consol.

"What?"

"I can't make the storm stop from here. It's too big. I need to stop it inside the storm. We're coming through."

Kaie pulled Michael to his feet and supported him. The consol shut down.

"Shut down the Gate." ordered Elizabeth. The technician did as he was told. Not two seconds later the Stargate burst into life again and Kaie and Michael came through. Michael was being supported by Kaie. He looked drained.

The Marines at once aimed their guns at them. Kaie hissed and snapped her fingers. The guns melted to water in the Marines' hands.

"And I'll do it to any other weapons pointed at me or Michael." she shouted.

Michael said nothing, only leaned against Kaie's slighter frame. Elizabeth sighed. Much as she hated to admit it, they were at the mercy of Kaie and her power.

"Where's an open area?"

"This way. Follow me." Elizabeth jogged ahead of them. She didn't need to look to know that her flagship team was with her, surrounding Kaie and Michael.

The closest open area was the port where people would come to swim. It was flooding from all the water now. Kaie set Michael down on the ground, where he sat obligingly, propping himself up on one arm, while the hand on the other squeezed Kaie's fingers a little before she pulled away.

Kaie walked to the edge of the platform, and lifted her arms above her head, spread out as if to encompass the storm. She tilted her head back, and closed her eyes. The others watched with baited breath.

At first, nothing happened.

Then the storm let out an almighty crack and split right down the middle of the giant cloud. Kaie seemed to tense. The two clouds swirled around themselves and seemed to be battling something. Then with a boom that knocked everyone over, the clouds exploded. Kaie screamed, but held her ground. Her clawed fingers crackled with electricity as all the moisture in the air just dropped. The platform flooded and Teyla had to grab onto a pole to keep from being washed away. There was one final rumble of thunder and then the storm was gone. Clear skies of cheerful pale blue were all that could be seen, surrounding a happily shining sun. There were a few moments of silence, and then a bird flew overhead, twittering out a song.

"Whoa." muttered Sheppard.

"You can say that again." squeaked McKay.

Kaie let out a gasp, panting hard and she staggered back, dropping her arms. She turned around to face the others, then collapsed to the ground.

"Kaie!" Michael dragged himself over to her, but Ronon got there first. Ronon gathered Kaie into his arms and snarled at Michael.

"You stay away from her."

"You have no decision over her." snapped Michael, crawling closer.

"The hell I don't! You fed off her!"

"I gave her my strength so she could save your pitiful city!"

Ronon passed Kaie to Sheppard, who barely had a chance to catch her, and then turned to Michael. He walked up to him and grabbed him by the front of his shirt, lifting the half-Wraith up.

Then he punched him in the face.

Michael dropped to the ground with a grunt. But he managed to get to his feet and tackled Ronon with a roar. The two men fought like animals, snarling and punching as hard as they could.

Sheppard sighed to himself and pulled out the zat he'd thought to grab and shot the both of them once. They both passed out.

"You knew they'd fight?"

"It was a precaution."

"Aren't you gonna shoot him twice?" asked McKay.

"If I killed Michael, what do you think Kaie would do to me?"

"I meant Ronon! It takes two shots to keep him unconscious."

"Ok, I want Ronon confined to his quarters, put Michael in the brig and bring Kaie to Carson. She looks like she needs a doctor." said Elizabeth, trying not to roll her eyes at the two men.

"We're on it."

"I'm gonna see what the sensors picked up."

"Rodney, before you go off to do your own thing, could you be a team player and help me put these guys in their respective places?"

"Why is it always me who has to do this stuff?"

* * *

I ain't gonna make this simple people! Lol.

Night's Darkness


	10. Chapter 9

Ok, where did those 5 months go? Honestly? Where!! Stupid exam year. Anyway, many apologies for taking so long, and I hope people still enjoy this fic.

A/N: this is still ignoring 'Sunday' and this latest season of SGA.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Kaie groaned as she opened her eyes. Her head hurt and her stomach was churning.

"Ah, good, yer awake. How're ye feeling?"

"Like I was just trapped in a whirlpool with teeth."

"That would be a blender." smiled Beckett. Kaie shrugged. Beckett patted her arm, saying, "Ye gave me a right scare when they brought ye in."

Kaie frowned and looked right in the doctor's eyes. After a moment her eyes widened and she sat up a little.

"You know?"

"Aye. I do. Does Michael?"

"Of course he does… where is Michael?"

"Erm… he's in the brig."

Kaie's face seemed to turn to stone, "Why is he in the brig?"

"He and Ronon had a wee scuffle and they've both been confined. Ronon to his quarters and Michael to the brig."

Kaie sat up and swung her legs over the edge, getting to her feet. Her green eyes were flashing with fury.

"And why exactly is one culprit being given better treatment than another?"

"Well, the fact is that Michael is an enemy of Atlantis. After what he did to God knows how many people for his experiments-"

"He was punished for those deeds. I punished him for them. There's no need to continue with your purgatory of him."

"I'm sorry, but it's not my decision."

"Then I'll take it up with the person whose decision it is." Kaie got to her feet then grabbed the edge of the bed as her legs gave out. Carson grabbed her arm to hold her up.

"You're not going anywhere."

"You have no control over me!" Kaie pushed him away from her and Carson staggered back, surprised by her physical strength. "Stay away from me!"

Still dressed in her hospital clothing, she staggered out of the sickbay and made her way down the corridor. Beckett sighed and followed her. Kaie kept one hand on the wall, but considering how much energy she'd lost, she was doing well. Her strawberry-blonde hair was a tangle down her back and her skin was bone white. She looked very unwell.

"Doctor Weir!!" Kaie shouted through the control room, managing to find the strength within her to stand up straight without support. "**Doctor Weir!!**"

"Kaie, I wasn't aware you'd regained consciousness." said Elizabeth as she came out of her office. Beckett admired her ability to seem so unbothered by the powerful… whatever Kaie was, being so angry.

"I want Michael released." said Kaie, staring straight at Elizabeth's eyes. Elizabeth didn't flinch away.

"Michael needs to be dealt with. He's committed cruel experiments on countless people."

"And of course you, the people who made him what he is now, are the perfect people to pass judgement on him." Kaie's voice was sweet as honey, the sneer making it all the stickier.

"He cannot be allowed to leave."

"And what will you do with him? Execute him?"

"… I don't know yet."

"Of course you don't. You never know what you're doing, or think of what the consequences could be. You never care what you're doing so long as it doesn't harm you!"

"You think you know us because you can watch the atoms that make us up?"

"We're all just atoms and energy in the end. Feeding off one another. Using one another and the atoms around us. And yet you think you're so much better than every other race out there."

"We don't!"

"You do! You care nothing for others! You think only of your survival and yours alone and yet you won't admit it! That's the problem with humans."

"What?"

"You lie to everyone, including yourselves. You say how much you want to be friends with other species, but unlike the other species, who'll outright say it, you just act like you won't throw them to the wolves if you have to to save yourselves. And then you act insulted when other species say it, as if you're better than them, when you're lesser because you lie to yourselves and them." Kaie spat at Elizabeth's feet. "You make me sick! I hate that I was once like you! Now, get out of my way and I'll find Michael myself and we'll leave."

"I can't allow that." said Elizabeth.

"Oh?" Kaie's voice dropped to a whisper, "And just what will you do to stop me?"

Elizabeth drew in a deep breath, but didn't answer. She had no answer. Kaie smirked,

"I figured as much. All words as usual." Kaie turned away and walked out of the control room, Beckett tried to follow her, but Kaie turned to a wall and flicked her wrist. At once the wall seemed to bend and twist, like it was melting. Kaie stepped through it and the wall righted itself at once.

"Bloody hell." muttered Beckett, turning and jogging to the brig, where Kaie most likely was.

Sure enough, Kaie was lying on the ground, her body spooning Michael, her fingers running through his hair. Michael was purring in response. Purring really was the only word for that noise, even if the thought disturbed Beckett beyond belief.

Kaie was whispering in Michael's ear, and every now and then Michael twitched in response to whatever she was saying.

"Kaie, this is unacceptable." said Elizabeth.

"What? All I am doing is lying with my mate in the brig. I have not attempted to break him free or do anything but comfort him." Kaie smirked at Elizabeth, well aware that she was the one in control of the situation. Which was why she hadn't broken Michael free yet. She had no need.

"Michael needs to answer to his crimes."

"And as I already said, you are the perfect judges aren't you. Condemning your creation for trying to survive after you abandoned him."

"Kaie, you may look like an adult, but you're a little girl in your mind. And you've no concept of right or wrong outside yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kaie sat up, glaring at Elizabeth like the petulant child Elizabeth called her.

"You think you know what's right and what's wrong. But all you know is whether something pleases you or not. If it does, in your mind it's right. If it doesn't, you think it's wrong."

"And isn't that exactly the same for you? Your rights and your wrongs appeal to your senses of pleasure and wrongness."

"We have laws."

"Based upon the reaction you feel towards certain things. If murder produced a good feeling it would not be considered wrong."

"That's not true! Murderers kill because they feel a high from doing it and it is still illegal."

"Ah, but if a majority, who had no involvement with the murder, enjoyed it, thought it was a good thing, then it would not be illegal."

"That's twisting it Kaie."

"You're only saying that because you don't want to admit that I've struck a nerve." Kaie smirked. "How pathetic."

"Michael murdered many people."

"And you've murdered many Wraith."

"So you're siding with them?"

Beckett jumped as Ronon's voice boomed out around them.

"Ronon, you were confined to quarters." said Elizabeth.

"Yeah, that didn't last." muttered Ronon, his attention on Kaie. "Are you siding with the Wraith?"

"No. But you're blind to the reality that is you are no better than the Wraith."

"We have to survive."

"That's all well and good, but admit you're no better than them."

"Why? Why's it so important to you that we say we're no better than them?"

"Because someone has to make the first step. Because Michael deserves to be left alone. You blame him for his actions and yes, he did awful things, but so have you! How many Wraith have you murdered to survive? How many atrocities have you committed against them?"

"The people Michael killed were innocents."

"And the Wraith you've murdered weren't?"

"There's no such thing as an innocent Wraith."

"How would you know? All you've ever seen is an enemy. Even Michael! You saw an enemy even after you mutilated him." Kaie threw her hand out and the brig flew apart, the bars just missing the three Atlantians. "How shall peace and harmony ever be restored to the galaxy if you two are continuously flaring and crashing into each other like asteroids or atoms?"

"You throwing tantrums won't help anyone." said Weir, folding her arms.

Kaie growled and stamped her foot. The floor shook like a giant had echoed her movement somewhere in the city. "You're all so frustrating! You make simple things so complex! You should all just stop, stop, stop!!"

"We won't. We can't, Kaie. We're alive, we have minds."

"Damn your minds!" screeched Kaie, before grimacing and doubling over, clutching her stomach. At once her expression changed to childish anger to utter terror. "Ah! Oh… no… no…"

Carson moved forward to help her, guessing what was happening. But Ronon pulled him back,

"Ronon!"

"Might be a trick."

Kaie wailed, a soft, pathetic sound, like an abandoned kitten makes when it gets hungry and there's no mother to feed it. She crumpled to the ground, curling up, and writhing on the cold floor.

"For God's sake let me help her! She's your sister Ronon!"

Ronon stared down at Kaie, eyes wide and his hand did not let go, so much as go limp on Beckett's arm. Beckett wasted no time in running to Kaie and pushing her on to her back. Kaie wailed again, tears streaking her cheeks, and she struggled against the Doctor, weak as that abandoned kitten.

"Kaie, Kaie, listen to me, I need you to calm down. You have to calm down."

"Help!"

"I'm trying pet, but unless you calm down I can't examine you."

"Kaie…" Michael was suddenly alarmingly close to Beckett, but his eyes were on Kaie's face, his hands on her shoulders. "Shh… be calm my love. You must allow the Doctor to examine you."

"M… Michael." Kaie fumbled for a grip on his cumbersome leather clothes, but when she got it, she clung like a limpet. "It hurts… oh make it stop!"

"Doctor Beckett will do all he can." Michael's eyes flashed to Carson's, "Won't you Doctor?"

Carson drew in a deep breath, "Right. I need a medical team in here now! Stretcher, and medical kit."

"What's wrong with her Carson?" asked Elizabeth, sounding wary.

"I… I think she's having a miscarriage."

* * *

Hm, Kaie's really turned into a brat.

Reviews are always appreciated

Night's Darkness


	11. Chapter 10

Well… it's been… nine months since I updated, and considering I left this at a miscarriage, I feel there may be some irony there. Anyway, I hope some people are still reading this. After this chapter, canon will take over for a while, but we'll get to that when I write it. Good news? I actually remember what the ending is.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 10**

Ronon wanted to pace across the floor, but that would have given the impression that he was worried, and he wasn't. Not really. Even though it was his baby sister who was in the other room. No… Ronon wasn't worried at all.

Michael on the other hand, was pacing, back and forth, back and forth. Major Lorne and Sheppard were both following him with their eyes, looking faintly dizzy.

"I should be in there." the Wraith growled at last.

"What could you do to help?" asked Teyla, trying to sound reasonable.

"Something! I know more about the delicate balance required between wraith and human."

"So the kid's yours?" asked Sheppard.

"Of course it is, who else's would it be?" demanded Michael, giving Sheppard a look like he was an idiot.

"Well, I just… I thought that wasn't how it worked with you guys." Sheppard looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"You thought we only reproduced asexually."

"Well… don't you?" asked Rodney, a squeak in his voice.

"It is true that our Queens allow us to multiply in huge amounts, but our other females are not so different to humans. And the males' purpose on an evolutionary scale is merely to pass on DNA. Therefore we can reproduce both asexually and sexually."

Ronon really wanted to shut the Wraith up, but for now it seemed that he wouldn't be allowed. He growled to himself, kicking at the floor. "How much longer is this gonna be?"

"As long as it needs to be. Carson will do whatever he must to care for her." said Elizabeth.

"What about the child? Will he try to save it too?" Michael's voice was a growl, like an animal defending its territory.

"He'll do his best Michael."

"I'm sure." Michael snorted and he resumed his pacing, hissing to himself.

A wail pierced through the door and echoed down the corridor, chilling all who heard it to the bone. Michael snapped his body around to face the door as the wail died to loud screams of protest, then muffled sobs. The doors slid open and Carson came out, looking very weary.

"Ah did everything that ah could, but…" he spread his hands in a helpless gesture. "Her body just aborted the pregnancy."

Michael shoved past Carson to reach Kaie, who was sobbing behind some curtains.

"What caused it Carson? Was it the argument? Stopping the storm?"

"Ah canna be sure until ah've had a look at… what's left. Could have been both, could have just been a natural thing that happens."

"But you don't look convinced." said Teyla in a quiet voice, respectful of the grief emanating from the sickbay.

Carson grimaced and glanced over his shoulder before speaking in a quiet voice, "I'll need to check to be sure, but I think this was a case of genetic incompatibility. Wraith DNA is significantly different to human DNA, and if you consider that most defective zygotes formed are aborted very quickly with a healthy human couple, the odds of a successful conception, pregnancy and healthy baby are very, very slim. Frankly I couldn't believe it when I realised who the father was."

"So… basically those two probably can't have a child." Sheppard was trying not to show how disturbing he found the idea of Michael having a child with anyone.

"Probably not."

"Good." grunted Ronon, "She gonna live doc?"

"Aye, she'll need some time to rest, but I can't see any complications, she's tough like you big man."

"Whatever." Ronon turned on his heel and walked away, shoulders hunched as he went. The others left behind breathed a collective sigh of exasperation.

"What now?"

* * *

Michael pushed the curtain aside as he approached the bed. Kaie was curled up in a ball, sobbing into the pillow. Her fingers flexed as she clung to it, searching for comfort. Her skin was grey and her face seemed to have sunken in.

"Kaie." Michael's voice was as soft as he could make it. Kaie blinked up at him, her large green eyes dark with despair.

"I'm sorry Michael." Her voice was little above a whimper, and one of her hands flew out to grab his. "Don't hate me, please."

"I will never hate you my love." Michael freed his hand and brushed the backs of his fingers over her hair.

"I didn't mean for it to happen."

"I know. It's just what happened. I did say that this could happen."

"But… I thought… it wasn't supposed to happen. We're… we're better than that."

"There's obviously more requirements than what we'd hoped."

Kaie bit her lower lip, looking up at him. "But… we're above this. We're as close to perfect as we can be. We have to be… your mind, my powers… we have to be perfect."

Michael perched on the edge of the bed, looking into the distance. "Perfection achieved through effort sounds far more satisfying, don't you think?"

"If loosing another baby is your idea of effort, then maybe I don't want to be perfect." Kaie glared at him, then rolled over, putting her back to him. Michael sighed,

"That isn't what I meant. I just meant we'll need to do more studies, and experiments."

"Experiments like another pregnancy?"

"Perhaps. But perhaps not. I'm not sure yet what the best course of action would be."

"I want our baby." Kaie whimpered, "We deserve our baby."

"We will get a baby. I promise you. And that baby will be the reason to end all the fighting between humans and Wraiths. We will make everything better in this galaxy."

Kaie swallowed, then rolled back over, staring up at him. "Our baby will make everyone see that they can be allies, friends?"

"Of course. He or she will be an inspiration to everyone."

Kaie smiled through her tears. "We'll make this universe a better place."

"Of course we will."

* * *

"Elizabeth?"

"Yes John?"

"I'm wondering if there's any real point in us trying to lock Michael up again. We both know that Kaie will just bust him out again."

"I've been thinking about that myself. And I've come to the conclusion that we should try to broker a peace."

"A peace?" John had to thank God that Ronon was not around to hear that.

"Our hands are tied John. If we try to lock Michael up and punish him, Kaie will retaliate, and we just don't have any way of fighting against her."

"McKay's working on that Elizabeth."

"I know, but so far he's had no success and who knows how long it will take him. This is the best way to stay in control of the situation. We can promise to leave them in peace so long as Michael agrees to never conduct the experiments he did before. No more creatures." Elizabeth sighed as she glanced down into the isolation room where, for security and privacy, Beckett had moved Kaie. Michael had followed of course. At the moment he was reading aloud to her something Carson had given them. "Besides, look at him. I don't think he's the same man we encountered… that we created. He's so gentle with her, like he's afraid he'll break her."

"Yeah, I don't get that. Kaie said she kept Michael as a prisoner. So… how did this happen?"

"Good question. I doubt we'll ever know though."

* * *

Kaie gasped as Michael fed off her. The energy which coursed through her, which kept her from the realms of sleep and peace, flowed from her chest into Michael, who groaned in a manner that was almost like pleasure. There was no pain, only release as he drained more and more. Then he let go and staggered back. His pupils were dilated and he was panting. Kaie leaned back against the wall, trying to catch her breath, but otherwise, she felt fine. A little drained, but otherwise good.

"You should be dead." gasped Michael. His fingers were twitching and he was shaking with all the energy he'd absorbed. "I took enough energy for two humans."

"Well, I'm not. I barely felt that." Kaie grinned, straightening up. She felt calmer, saner, than she had in years. The world seemed less disjointed and disconnected. "In fact, I feel better now than when you did it."

"How is that possible?"

Kaie arched her back, stretching luxuriously as she walked towards Michael, who stepped away until he was trapped by the wall.

"I can split atoms by willing it. I can see across the universe if I just close my eyes. If you feed off me, then you're feeding off the universe itself, pet."

"All that power… such energy." Michael's eyes were wide. They were so dilated, they were almost completely black. His breathing sped up and Kaie could feel his heart racing. He was aroused. "What are you?"

Kaie smiled, pressing her body flush against his, looking up into his eyes, "I don't know. Maybe you can figure it out."

Michael's scientific mind was audible to her as it began to run through every form of possible answers. The idea that someone else could know what she was, that someone would finally help her understand what she was, made her whole body shiver. Michael's eyes widened further as the shiver passed over his skin. He could feel her heartbeat against his own. The excitement that was coursing through him, filled him with a kind of desire he was not familiar with. He wanted to feel her skin on his, he wanted to grab her hair and crush her mouth against his. He wanted to be buried within her.

Kaie gasped as Michael's long fingers tangled in her hair before pulling at it so her neck was exposed. She could smell his scent and it made her purr as he reversed their positions, crushing her against the wall, and growled in her ear.

There was nothing beautiful about their coupling. Terrible in its intensity, Michael bit through her skin many times, crashing his teeth on hers. Kaie pulled out a handful of hair, scratched lines down his back and dug her nails into his shoulders. They snarled and growled and whimpered at each other, primal forces making the room shake around them. Kaie's hands flew up above her head and gripped the stone, crushing it into dust as she shrieked and pulled Michael into release with her.

Michael felt exhausted in a way he was not sure any Wraith had ever felt. Exhausted, weary, but content. There was no need to feed, the urge had gone completely silent for the first time since he'd been born. Even on Atlantis, as a full human, it had never been silent.

Kaie laughed as she pushed him over, knocking them both to the ground, his chest cushioning her fall. She pushed her hair out of her face as she hovered above him, less than an inch from touching noses.

"Feel like helping me figure out the mysteries of the universe? Starting with me?"

Michael had no strength to speak, so he could only nod. His hand pulled her hair, stretching her neck above him and he licked it, tasting the salt. She certainly tasted like a human. He could start with that.

* * *

"Ronon?"

"Not a good time Teyla." Teyla sighed as Ronon assaulted a punch bag with heavy, bitter blows. His teeth were clenched so tight he was in danger of breaking his jaw.

"Ronon, please. Let us help you through this."

"Through what? My sister's betrayal?"

"Ronon, she just doesn't see things the way we do."

"Don't Teyla, don't try to justify her actions for her. As far as I'm concerned, she's been as good as dead since the minute she chose those things over me. I will never forgive her for that. Never!" Ronon's shout reverberated through the room and he hit the punch bag so hard it broke off its suspender. The bag fell to the ground like a dead body. Teyla wondered if Ronon saw Michael or Kaie in place of the bag.

* * *

Michael glanced up as Carson entered the room, reading a chart. Kaie was asleep. Some of the colour had returned to her cheeks.

"Are those the tests results on the remains of the miscarriage?"

Carson jumped at Michael's sharp tone, but he nodded, holding it out. Michael snatched it and began to read through it, a frown on his normally expressionless face.

Carson made himself busy by checking Kaie's vitals. They were much better than they had been. Kaie had the same speedy recovery inclination as her brother.

Michael sighed heavily, setting the results down. "As I suspected. These readings are indicative of an incompatibility in mine and Kaie's genome structures. They simply didn't fit right."

"It's incredible that she even managed to conceive considering how they were forced together." Carson could not keep the slight reproach out of his voice as he looked at Michael.

"Science begins with smashing rocks and ends with dancing particles, Doctor Beckett. It was a first attempt, perhaps more clumsy than you would have produced, but I am trying to blend them, not have one dominate over the other."

"That may be impossible. There's only so much genetic engineering can do before something goes terribly wrong."

"Perhaps. But I will not cease until I have succeeded or exhausted all options."

"Couldn't Kaie use her ability? If she can play with atoms…"

"You answered your own question with that single word Doctor Beckett. Play. Kaie may know more than others about the universe, but she is still mortal, human and inexperienced. She relies on me to be the refiner, the one who does the tiny details, or explains to her how to do them. This sort of manipulation is too complex for her to just play with. Changing one element into another is simply a form of radioactive decay sped up or reversed. It is a relatively simple concept when you take care. Genes are more complicated to actually control."

"She doesn't understand them, so she can't control them."

"Basically yes. She sees the whole universe, Doctor. There is a limit to how much even she can do. And like most creatures, she has to learn."

"I think I understand."

"You have been less adverse to her, and myself, than others."

"Well… I made you how you are. It was my retrovirus that changed you from full Wraith."

"You feel responsible for me."

"In a way. And Kaie's a victim of the universe really. She didn't ask to be this way or to think the way she does. Enlightenment can be a burden I'd say."

"You agree with her beliefs about Wraiths?"

"I believe that at the core, they're no different from humans or any other species. Doing what they must to survive. I just wish there was a way to stop all the fighting. I'm a doctor, so anything that costs lives is something I'm against-" Carson cut Michael off before he could add anything "-I know that other creatures loose their lives to keep others alive and that's nature, but I don't have to like it."

"Do you partake in meat?"

"Yes. But I will remind you that I am human. So I am flawed. I can't stop myself from enjoying haggis and steak and other meats, and to be perfectly honest I don't want to. But that doesn't mean I enjoy thinking about it."

Michael stared at him hard. His eyes flickered with something and then he nodded. Rising to his feet, the half-wraith set down the chart and placed his hand on Carson's shoulder –something that near terrified Carson. Michael's lips quirked in what may have been a smile.

"You and I have much in common Doctor Beckett."

Carson swallowed and cleared his throat as he pulled away and checked Kaie's vitals once more before leaving as fast as he could. Michael watched him go, then, as the door slid shut he lifted his fist and opened it, staring at something resting on his palm.

"Will it work?"

Michael smiled at Kaie as she sat up, having been away the whole time,

"Yes. I believe it will."

* * *

Hmm… this fic seems to be getting more and more attached to philosophy about animal rights… that was SO not in my plans. It just keeps cropping up. Hope it's not put anyone off, or confused them.

Reviews are very appreciated

Night's Darkness


	12. Chapter 11

Hi guys, remember me? *waves* Lol, it's been absolutely ages, but life and other fics drew me away, plus writers block is a horrendous bitch who needs to be killed.

I honestly don't know when the next chapter will be up. But I will try to get it up as soon as possible. A big 'Thank You!' to anyone who's still sticking with this.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Kaie was up and about the next day. Her face was still pale, and she looked drained, but otherwise, she was well again. Her eyes, however, show the pain the miscarriage had caused her heart. Michael stayed by her side, his fingers never parting from some part of her body. They were wary of Elizabeth as she told them her offer.

"So… you will leave us in peace, if I do not create more of the creatures I made before."

"Yes. We cannot allow such creatures to exist. I'm sorry, but it's too risky. And too many lives were lost to create them."

"They were my only source of protection against you and the Wraith. Now I have no need of them. Rest assured Dr. Weir. There will be no more of them, you have my word."

"Good. Then you are free to leave whenever you are ready."

Michael nodded, putting an arm around Kaie's waist and giving her a brief squeeze of reassurance. Kaie rested her head on his shoulder, looking too weary to care about what was being discussed.

Carson looked very unhappy when they prepared to leave immediately. "Kaie needs rest. And Michael, you may be brilliant, but you're not a doctor."

"She will recover on her own planet far better than if she stays here with Ronon haunting the corridors. She wishes to leave, and I will do as she wishes. We thank you for your help Dr. Beckett."

"Well… you're welcome. But Michael… promise me you won't try again. At least not without refining the genetic merging, please. You could do some serious damage to Kaie's body if you don't take care."

Michael stared hard at him, then nodded, "I promise, I will refine the technique before we attempt another pregnancy. I do not like seeing her go through what she did yesterday."

"Good… well then, I… wish you luck."

"Thank you Dr. Beckett. Perhaps we shall meet again."

"Aye, maybe."

* * *

"Letting them go is such a mistake." muttered Rodney, sulking.

"Keeping them here is too dangerous Rodney."

"Maybe… but I can't believe that after all that, we're just gonna let them go."

"Michael gave his word, there will be no more experiments."

"Yeah, well, forgive me if I don't share your optimistic opinion of his word's worth."

Elizabeth sighed as she watched Michael and Kaie walk towards the active Stargate. A movement in the corner of her vision made her look to the right. Ronon was standing in the corner, glaring down at the two of them. Kaie paused in her walk, and turned to look up at her brother. Ronon's expression didn't change. Kaie raised her fingers to her lips and kissed them, then offered the hand out to Ronon for a moment before turning away again. Her small hand slipped into Michael's and they stepped through the Stargate. As it shut down, Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief. They were gone. It was over.

* * *

As time passed the people of Atlantis went through many changes.

First, Carson died at the hands of an explosive tumour. A young woman, a mere girl really, came to replace him. Dr. Keller eventually earned a place among the Atlantians, but there was always that missing presence in sickbay.

Then they lost Elizabeth to the Replicators.

Colonel Samantha Carter took over the expedition and led it well, having enough experience to handle almost every situation.

The war with the Replicators got worse.

Teyla's people disappeared, including her lover, and the father of her unborn child.

Teyla's life became about finding her people and protecting her son that grew inside her. Ronon rarely left her side, always watching over her. Teyla appreciated it, but knew she could never replace Kaie in Ronon's heart, and wished she could help him move on.

On one mission Teyla believed she had suddenly found a chance to find her people, and went off world to investigate. But it was a trap, and Teyla was abducted. Meanwhile, people were being infected with a virus that made it impossible for the Wraith to feed and killed a large amount of the infected. Just who was behind this the Atlantians did not know.

On a mission that they hoped would give them back Teyla, the team instead found Carson Beckett, very much alive…

* * *

In the Observation Room, Sheppard, McKay and Ronon looked down into the Isolation Room. Inside it, Dr. Keller with a team of medics, dressed in Hazmat suits, were busy running every test they could think of to see just who or what the man in white medical scrubs before them was. He looked and sounded just like Carson Beckett… but that couldn't be possible. He'd died months ago, they had borne his body to Scotland. He was definitely dead.

"It's just weird." muttered Ronon, staring down into the room.

Meanwhile, Dr. Keller gave the man an embarrassed smile,

"I'm sorry about all this, Doctor."

The man smiled, "It's all right. I realise there's a protocol when dealing with someone who's been in prison for a long time. In fact, I wrote it. Although," he glanced down as a medic took yet more blood from him, "If they take much more blood, I think I might faint.

"That's the last batch."

"You should also check for trace narcotics. I was given regular injections of some sort of drug cocktail – mostly sedatives, I think."

"All right."

As the tests continued, Carson looked up at the boys in the Observation Room and smiled at them.

"You sure he's not a Replicator?" Sheppard grimaced, giving Rodney a hopeful glance. If this was a Replicator, then that would be simple enough. He'd be a bad guy and treated as such. But Rodney dashed that hope.

"No, the scans would have picked it up right away."

"Well, then, who the hell _is_ he?"

"_I_ don't know! Look, I'm as freaked out about this as you are!" Rodney had his bug eyed expression on his face. Sheppard hadn't seen it this pronounced since Kaie had threatened to make him into a firework.

"You don't really think it's him, do you?"

"No! ... Well, I mean ... maybe." Rodney had a hopeful glint in his eyes. John couldn't help but look at him incredulously. Rodney went on the defensive, "Look, so we've ruled out advanced robotics. That still leaves us a half a dozen possible other explanations."

Ronon raised an eyebrow, "Like?"

"Well, like alternate timeline, parallel universe, cloning – you know, take your pick."

John sighed, "It's just another day in outer space."

Rodney lowered his chin, "Yeah."

They turned as Dr. Keller came in, her Hazmat helmet tucked under her arm. As she took in the three men's faces, she sighed, giving them a little smile. Colonel Carter followed her, as eager for news as the rest of them. She needed to know what steps she had to take to ensure the safety of her people in light of this new development.

"Well, we've completed the preliminary exam."

"And?"

"Every test we've run confirms it. That man down there is Doctor Carson Beckett."

"That still leaves us with a good few explanations." said John at once, refusing to believe for a second that it was the true Carson.

Dr. Keller nibbled her lower lip for a moment, hesitant, "Well… I have a suggestion, but I'll need to run more tests to be sure."

"What is it?" asked Carter.

"I think he's a clone."

John straightened up, "And why would you suggest that?"

"Because of who was holding him prisoner."

They all straightened at this, so far they hadn't questioned this Beckett about why he was being held prisoner at all. They'd needed to know the truth of who he was first, before they could start to know about him.

"Doc. Cut to the chase."

"He says he was held prisoner by Michael."

There was a ringing silence.

"Michael? As in… our Michael?"

Carter frowned, "The Wraith Doctor Beckett converted into a human?"

Ronon growled, making Rodney take a sidestep away as he said, "Well, temporarily converted. Eventually he became a kind of a human-Wraith hybrid."

"The other Wraith didn't want anything to do with him, so he's been kind of holding a little bit of a grudge ever since."

"He's not a big fan of humans, either. For him, the Hoffan drug is the perfect weapon."

"But… I've read all of Dr. Weir's reports, the last time we had contact with him, he had agreed to stop experiments and was going to stay on a planet with-"

"Did you really think he'd keep his word?" snapped Ronon, cutting Carter off before she could say that name.

"Well… I have to admit it didn't sound likely but-"

"Look, best thing to do is find out everything Beckett down there knows. He might be able to explain it all." said John before Ronon could get anymore worked up. Since they'd last seen Michael, they'd avoided even hinting at the Wraith or at Kaie, to keep Ronon from going berserk.

But all John could think now was where was Kaie in all of this and how could she have allowed so many deaths in the galaxy.

* * *

When Teyla awoke from her stasis induced sleep she found herself strapped down to a table at a 45 degree angle. It was very dark, but she could see large shelves to her left. On these shelves lay many people. She remembered from Halling, with whom she'd spoken to that their people were being experimented on, becoming like her lover Kaanan, who'd brought her to this planet.

"You're awake."

Teyla's head snapped to the side. From out of the shadows stepped Kaie. At a glance, she looked the same as she had when Teyla had met her. But as the light shone on her face, Teyla could see she had changed. Her eyes were dark and tired. Her strawberry blonde hair which had fallen down to her waist was now cut short, to just above her shoulders. Her cheeks were hallowed and there were lines around her mouth. She'd aged far more than she ought to have.

"Kaie." Teyla's mind began to work at a mile a minute, realising that- "If you're here… then that must mean… but he gave his word."

"So I did."

From behind the table Michael emerged. He too had changed. His Wraith features had softened and his hair had darkened. He stepped around Kaie, his hand cupping her hip as he stood on her right. "I gave my word that I would not make anymore of the creatures you encountered before. And I haven't. I've refined the technique, refined the retrovirus to create the perfect balance –ability well beyond any normal human but without the one weakness that will be the downfall of the Wraith." Michael raised his free arm, showing Teyla his open palm. Her eyes widened when she saw that the feeding organ was gone. "The need to feed."

Kaie turned her head away, her eyes narrowing briefly before she looked back, staring at Teyla's stomach. There was a hunger in her eyes. Michael gave his mate a strange look, then turned away, picking up a paddle of some kind.

"I've had to modify this technology for use with humans. It's crude but it works remarkably well."

Teyla eyed the paddle with some wariness as he switched it on. "Michael, whatever has happened between us in the past, I beg you, do not harm my child."

Michael and Kaie both looked at her in shock. Michael spoke in a firm tone, "I wouldn't dream of it. Now, just relax. This won't hurt a bit. Listen."

As he waved the paddle over Teyla's protruding stomach, the sound of a heartbeat began to echo through the lab. Kaie closed her eyes and leaned her head back, her whole body tense as she listened. Michael's lips quirked in a small smile, "Your child is healthy. Look."

The three of them turned to a screen and watched Teyla's son shift and move inside her. Kaie reached out a hand to the screen, touching it reverently. There was a longing and a hunger in her eyes that spoke of a woman much denied her deepest instinctive desire. Michael watched her for a moment, then turned to Teyla,

"Since we last met, Kaie has miscarried four times. Every time it has been for the same reason. I can use the retrovirus to create my hybrids, make them perfect blends of wraith and human, but I can never achieve the same result with a zygote. But until now I've only had adults and already born children to study. But you… you have given us new hope."

"Is that what this is all about? All the killing and the experiments, taking my people, to give yourselves a child?" demanded Teyla, horrified.

"Of course not. That would be selfish of us." Michael managed to sound smug and reassuring at the same time.

"We are not selfish." muttered Kaie, tracing the baby's face with her fingers against the screen.

"You have murdered innocents! You've taken my people and experimented on them just so you can find the right blend of blood to give yourselves a child. If that is not selfish-"

"That is not our only reason! Rest assured we have grander plans than that."

Kaie finally turned around, giving Teyla an intense look, "We want to stop it all. We want the killing and the fighting and the suffering to stop. We want the Wraith and humans to stop this futile existence of battling against one another."

"How? How will you achieve that, through murder?"

"That is a necessary sacrifice."

"You are not the ones making it!"

"We need to perfect the hybrids. Soon everyone will become one. Soon everyone will be the same. The Wraith will have no need to feed on the Humans, who will then have no need to fight them."

"Once we have a child of our own, he will be a becon, like yours to the ideal existence. One where the two species can co-exist."

"Do you not think that the fact that it's required this much effort to make such a child will not indicate that Wraith and Human are not meant to be one?" Teyla was incredulous at their plan. Surely they weren't serious.

"It will show that both sides must make contributions, must work hard to achieve the perfect balance." Kaie sounded monotone about this, and Teyla could see this subject was boring her. Looking closer at Michael, Teyla couldn't help but notice how tired he looked. How worn. The earnest expression on his face told Teyla that he did believe in what he was doing. Humans and Wraiths alike had failed Michael, and he saw the best way to gain acceptance was to make what had made him a rejected soul by both species was to make them more like him, as he could not bear to be tampered with again. Kaie just wanted to gain a child, through any means necessary. Teyla suspected that the continuous disappointment and pain each miscarriage had brought had damaged her sanity. She'd seen such near-madness even among the women of her own people who'd miscarried or had still-borns.

Michael set down the paddle of the machine and walked around the table, picking up a syringe,

"You've taken good care of him. You should be very proud. Even so, you could probably use a little help."

Teyla eyed the syringe with worry, "Michael, what are you doing? Please."

Michael swallowed and looked at Kaie, who narrowed her eyes at him. He sighed, stepping closer, "We need this child. I can't afford to let anything happen to him."

Teyla groaned as he injected her, then sighed as it's sedative components began to take affect. As she slipped away into sleep, she saw Kaie come closer.

* * *

Michael watched, feeling slightly nervous, as Kaie rested her hands on Teyla's stomach, caressing it, then pressing her ear to it, listening to the baby's heartbeat. Her face had that now-familiar expression of depression and hunger. It was like a Wraith who'd not fed being taunted by humans dancing around them just out of reach.

"You have everything you need now?" she asked, glaring at him. Michael nodded,

"I do."

"Good. You know as well as I do that now that we've taken this to a personal level and now that the Atlantians have the Carson clone, we won't be able to stay in one place too long. They'll be even more aggressive in their search for us."

"I trust you will do whatever is necessary to keep them at bay."

Kaie narrowed her eyes at her lover as she straightened up. "You and I both know I'm too much to use against them."

Michael sighed, feeling the old argument start to brew again. By giving up his need and ability to feed, he'd lost the ability to drain Kaie of her overwhelming life force. Now the power that allowed her to play with the very basic particles of the universe was building up inside her like a great river blocked by a damn. If she let it out, it would probably rip the fabric of space apart as it would all flow in one go it was emitting so much pressure.

As it was, it was playing havoc with her body, almost sending her internal organs, endocrine system, nervous system and brain into a form of overdrive that was very hard to stop. Michael had been able to find a method of managing it that worked up to a point, but one of the things he couldn't do was stop the overproduction of just about every hormone in a human body. And that was causing a lot of trouble for Kaie's mind.

Her sexual and reproductive hormones were causing her to be almost insatiable –to such a degree Michael, despite his own preference, had had to allow her to have relations with a select few of his hybrids, if only to help keep her from pinning him down and literally killing him with desire- and her need, not want, _need_ for a baby inside her body was so powerful it was making her ill, as well as making her incredibly fertile, with her body producing two eggs every three days. This meant that Michael had also to figure out a form of birth control lest she be impregnated by a hybrid –a great irony that wasn't lost on either of them.

The hormones that regulated emotions were so over produced it was causing her to experience wave after wave of depressions and highs that really made her all but useless to logical planning. There had been days when he'd found her crying in a corner and wailing that she wanted to die, and others when she'd been so optimistic about their mission she'd all but declared it won and insisted they celebrate.

Kaie hated how her ability and power was ruining her body, with her organs constantly stopping and starting due to exhaustion, her cells reproducing much too quick and dying within hours, her respiratory system rushing to get through every cycle, and all her anger over it was being directed at Michael, whom she was blaming. Michael had given her an outlet through feeding on her, but now that he'd stopped she was like a blocked pipe. One of these days they both knew it would get too much. But Michael knew that getting rid of the need to feed was crucial to success of the hybrids and to their ambition.

"If worst comes to worst, you could always tear them apart by the atoms."

"If worst comes to worst I could just form a black hole and let it suck in everything around us." Kaie's tone was biting.

"Kaie, you know why I had to stop feeding-"

"I know! But that doesn't mean I can't hate it. My whole body is failing and neither of us can stop it and with every passing moment it becomes more inhospitable for our child."

"Perhaps we should postpone the pregnancy until we can find a way to stop your body from failing-"

Kaie's hand snapped out and she struck one of the tables, knocking it clean over with the strength of her brother.

"I want that baby! I will have that baby! You will give us a baby and I don't care what it takes!"

Michael swallowed and stared at her, seeing the blazing fire in her eyes. As he watched it melted into tears that flowed down her cheeks and she reached out to him, whimpering.

Without hesitation Michael took her into his arms and held her against him. Despite the difficulties, he still loved her. Taking in the scent of her hair, he rocked her as she cried on his shoulder, trembling. As he rubbed her back he could feel one of many tumours that had developed on her skin from the rapid cellular mitosis. They were both killing and saving her as her body was using some of the superfluous energy to combat them and dissolve them as fast as they were forming.

"We'll figure this all out, I promise. We can fix this. We can make things better than they ever were. We're special." He repeated their mantra, they were special, unique, powerful because of it.

"We're special." Kaie whispered, clinging to him. Lifting her head, Kaie kissed him hard, then pulled back abruptly. "You should get started. I'll go find a hybrid."

Michael nodded, watching his lover walk away to find someone else to give her the physical relief from the hormones. At least afterwards she'd be a little more emotionally stable as the hormones would be used up and the levels would settle a bit.

It didn't mean he had to like the idea though.

* * *

If anyone's surprised at the turn Kaie took, trust me, you're not alone. _**I**_ did not see her going this way at all!

Night's Darkness


	13. Chapter 12

Hi! *waves sheepishly* It's been a while I know –ok, more than a while. Sorry! My mutant plotbunny for Tear-filled Trails of Blood tried to kill all my other plotbunnies. They had to go into hiding. But now the evil mutant plotbunny has gone into hibernation –or something like that- and I was able to remember I actually had other fics to finish. And I will. I will finish this fic!

I'm not too thrilled with this chapter, but I needed to write and post something to get back in the game.

I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

**Chapter 12**

"The last thing I remember was talking to Michael about Kaie's miscarriage. The next thing I know, I was waking up on another planet."

Carson was staring into space as he spoke, not able to look at any of the others gathered at the table. Rodney was sitting beside him, watching him intently. Sheppard and Ronon were sitting beside Rodney. Colonel Carter was sitting a little apart. They'd already had to tell Carson about Elizabeth.

"They wanted me to help with the research, combining Wraith and human D.N.A. Of course, I refused at first; but then one day Michael brought another prisoner into my cell – a young lady, couldn't have been more than twenty years of age..." Carson swallowed, grimacing, "...and he killed her in cold blood right in front of my eyes. He said every day I refused to help, he'd kill another just like her. From that moment on, I co-operated."

Rodney's eyes widened a little, "Carson, I'm, I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't easy, but I hoped that I'd be able to get away someday, come back to Atlantis." Carson gave an ironic chuckle, "Until Kaie let it slip that I wasn't the real Beckett."

"Oh… you know that already."

"Aye. She told me in a fit of fury one day."

"So… she's still as temperamental as ever?" Sheppard grimaced at the memory.

"Ha! If only." Carson shook his head, "The way she is now makes her look like the most stable individual that's ever lived."

"What do you mean?"

Carson gave Carter a wary look, but answered her, "Ok, look, in the time I was with them Kaie conceived four times, and each time she lost it before the end of the first trimester. As you can imagine, that's been very difficult for her. But if that wasn't bad enough, now that Michael no longer needs to feed, it means he can't drain energy from her. Neither of them realised what this was doing to Kaie until it was too late to undo."

"What's it doing?"

"It's killing her. If you can imagine that the energy is water, and Kaie's body is a pipe, she's been blocked. The energy pressure is building up and damaging her body. Every part of her body is in overdrive. The last time I saw her, we were in the lab, with Michael was about three days ago. In the course of three hours, a huge tumour grew on her face and then disintegrated."

"Ew." Rodney looked repulsed. Carson sighed,

"It's ruining her mind state too. Her hormones are so over produced she's got the mental stability of the worst bi-polar sufferer you've ever seen. She was in a depression when she told me I was a clone. Half an hour after that, Michael had to keep her from cutting her wrists open."

"Sounds like she's really loosing it."

"She already has. I don't mind telling you she's a damn sight scarier now than she was before. Especially when she's trying to seduce you."

"Whoa, what?!"

Carson blushed, he hadn't meant to say that. "Like I said, every hormone is being over produced. Including the ones that make a lady… eager."

"And she tried it with you? Where was Michael?"

"Busy. Or sleeping. She nearly killed him with her eagerness the first time. Now he has to let her have relations with his hybrids. It's the only thing for it. Gotta admit, I felt a wee bit sorry for him about it. He really doesn't like it."

"What, he's willing to kill thousands and gets annoyed that his girlfriend or whatever she is to him isn't able to stay faithful?"

"I know, what he's doing is beyond wrong, but I'm just saying… look, I had to spend a lot of time with him in that lab. I know him now. I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable. But you could always use it to your advantage."

"How?"

"Kaie is so important to Michael, he probably would do anything to keep her. If you could find a way to capture her, you could probably get him to stand down. At the very least, it would be something to barter with."

"Yeah, that should be easy, she's not powerful in her own right, is she." sneered Rodney. Carson sighed,

"Rodney, if she did anything right now she'd probably tear the fabric of reality apart. She's powerless because she's got too much power. Michael doesn't want her out of his sight, and she can't dare use it near him, because she'll probably destroy everything within three lightyears."

"Yikes, so if we swooped in and grabbed her, she'd be unable to fight back?"

"Essentially yes."

"Sweet." murmured Sheppard, before glancing at Ronon, who was glaring at the floor. "What do you think big guy?"

"Whatever will get Teyla back." grunted the Satedan. Then he pushed away from the wall and walked out of the room. Carter sighed,

"We need a plan. A good one."

"I can bring you to one of the places Michael and Kaie are using for their experiments. They blindfolded me usually, but I did see one of them. There are four that I've been to, but at least it would be a start in the search for Teyla."

"Well…" Carter did not look enthused.

"Look, I know you don't trust me, but I can assure you I just want to help."

"I don't doubt that Dr. Beckett, but that doesn't mean it's not a trap."

"You think Michael has some kind of subconscious plan in my head?"

"Something like that is entirely possible. We've seen it being used by the Goa'uld before, and if Michael is skilled enough to give you all of the original Carson Beckett's memories, personality and knowledge, then he could probably have planted you here."

"Maybe, but Michael's been very obsessive about the hybrids and Kaie. I'm not entirely sure he'd have the spare brain space to consider anything else. We could at least try."

"Colonel, we need to find Teyla. And we have to find Michael and Kaie and stop them. I think we have to risk it." said Sheppard, feeling unsure, but desperate to save Teyla. Carter sighed, then nodded her head,

"Ok, we'll give it a shot."

~*~

"The Earth humans are looking for us. They are looking for Teyla too."

Michael glanced up, staring at Kaie. She was seat at a window, staring out wearing a fine blue silk dress, usually reserved for the royalty of the planet Garfenod. Its finery contested with her declining beauty and physical strength. He averted his eyes to return to his work, computing more data, and studying the information he'd gained from studying Teyla and her child.

"That does not surprise me." he said, trying to sound unbothered.

"Will the hybrids be able to defend us if they catch up to us?"

"Of course."

"Well they'd better!" she snapped, suddenly furious, "Because we both know I am of no use to us anymore." She looked away from the window, sagging in exhaustion, "Even watching them is tiring me now. I'm loosing this battle Michael."

Michael sat up and looked at her properly. She was sweating heavily and struggling to breathe. Michael leapt to his feet and hurried to her side, taking hold of her hand.

"You need to rest. I wish you'd let me freeze you."

"No." she gasped, "I won't leave you. And besides, neither of us knows if that'll do any good. It could just allow the power to build up without me fighting it."

"I know but…" Michael wanted to say that he hated being helpless, but it wouldn't help either of them. Still, Kaie obviously knew what he was thinking, because a trembling hand cupped his cheek and she gave him a brave smile.

"We'll figure this out Michael. We'll figure it out, bring Humans and Wraith into one species, we'll have our baby and everything will be all right. We can do this. We're special." Kaie's voice was soft, hoarse as she stroked his cheek, but under the tenderness there was desperation. She needed to believe everything would work out for them. it was the only way she could keep going, especially during her lowest moments.

Michael took her hand and kissed her fingertips. Kaie's smile widened and, despite her fatigue, her eyes sparked with the beginnings of lust. Gently but firmly, she pressed her first two fingers past Michael's lips. Michael licked and sucked on her fingers, before moving down her palm and raking his teeth across her pulse point. Kaie moaned, then grimaced.

"We'd better stop, or I won't be able to…"

Michael lowered her hand, but didn't let go of it. He sighed, feeling a very human kind of frustration. It had been months since he'd laid with his mate, and even though they still technically shared a bed, they rarely slept at the same time. Kaie's degrading stability drove her through periods of insomnia and excessive sleep, and Michael was so busy with his research, he had to remind himself to get any sleep. It made him feel disconnected from his mate, a feeling he was beginning to feel with increasing panic and worry. He'd become so accustom to sharing a bed with her, sleeping with his arms around her, that he felt like he was loosing her. This feeling was only exacerbated when he saw her walk away into some shadow with one of his loyal hybrids. He'd found one dead from exhaustion, and had yelled at her about it. she'd cried for two days and then curled up into a ball and refused to move for another three. Then she'd roused and kissed him with a beaming smile and started dancing around his lab.

Once again, Kaie read his thoughts from his face, because she said,

"I miss you. I miss mating with you."

"I miss you as well, but we both know it's too dangerous."

"Yes. Yes I know." Kaie grimaced again, the arched her back in pain. "It's getting worse Michael." She gripped his hand tight, crushing his fingers, her face scrunched up in pain. Michael reached into his pocket and drew out a syringe. Without preamble, he injected the contents into her arm. After a moment, Kaie relaxed a little, but she was clearly still in pain.

"The painkillers are loosing their effectiveness." said Michael.

"I can bear it. I'll be fine." Kaie smiled at him bravely, squeezing his hand again before releasing it. "You should keep working. If you don't complete your work, then this will all be for nothing."

Michael nodded, "I will. But let me help you to bed first."

"No! No, I… I think I'll take a walk, get some air."

Michael flinched, he knew where she was going. She was going to look for one of the hybrids. Kaie looked away and refused to meet his eyes as she got to her unsteady feet and walked away, head down in shame. Michael waited until she was gone. Then he kicked the nearest table, sending everything on it crashing down to the floor.

Silence reigned in the lab. Sighing in defeat, Michael went back to his desk and sat down, resuming his work that appeared to be both saving him and damning him all at once.

* * *

Reviews are always appreciated!

Night's Darkness


	14. Chapter 13

Hi! Remember me? Lol, I know, I know I'm so bad. But other fics have taken over my life, plus I lost the spark of this one. But I was watching the 'The Kindred part 2' last night and was inspired to continue on. I hope those who're still with me enjoy this! Apologies for any mistakes, this is not only un-betaed, but I wrote it while full of caffine so... yeah, sorry.

* * *

**Chapter 13**

"-And make sure the Zed.P.M is given a full check over, and that the new updates I designed for the shielding is completed and the-"

Zelenka closed his eyes in exasperation as he let Rodney ramble on about what was to be done while he was gone. As if he didn't already have it all written down, and as if he wasn't fully aware of it all. For goodness sake, he was Rodney's equal in the status quo, even if Rodney would never admit it. As Rodney continued to talk, Zelenka jumped in before he could go through the list again

"Yes yes yes Rodney! I know vhat to do."

"I'm just being clear."

Zelenka rolled his eyes, "Vell, I'll be fine. It vill all be done by de time you get back."

"Well… Good." Rodney looked miffed at the interruption, then gestured to the locker room where he was to get ready to go. "Well, I'll just go get ready."

"You do that." nodded Zelenka. But just as Rodney moved away, Zelenka suddenly remembered something. "Oh! Uh, Rodney? Vhat do you vant to do with the bio-chemical energy converter? You know, de one we found in the city, dat de Ancient built. We haven't really studied it at all yet."

"What? Oh right, right… uh, look just leave it for now. We can go through it later." Zelenka nodded, sighing, he'd been hoping to get started on that device. It had looked very fascinating. As Rodney moved away, heading to get ready for the mission, Zelenka walked in the other direction muttering to himself in Czech. Then he paused, a thought occurring to him. his eyes widened,

"Ježiši!" he murmured, and started running down the corridor, hoping against hope his idea would work. If nothing else Rodney would be horrified that it hadn't occurred to him.

~*~

The planet Carson brought them to was pretty much like most planets with a gate, rural and forested.

"All right, lets move out, see if we can find this guy." said Sheppard, holding his P-90 to his chest.

"Ah'd check the tavern first." said Carson, gesturing towards a small village.

"Agreed. Let's go."

They made their way into the tavern, and Sheppard instantly went on alert. It was not a welcoming place. Silence fell as all the patrons turned to stare at them.

"Hmmm, just in time for happy hour." said Sheppard, making straight for the bar. The barkeep stared at him in obvious dislike. "I was hoping maybe you could help us. We're looking for a friend of ours who's been known to stop in now and then."

The barkeep wiped down his bar, grunting, "You've come to the wrong place."

"B-but we haven't even told you what he looks like!" said McKay, looking anxiously around at the still staring patrons. Ronon surveyed the room carefully, eyeing each man in turn.

The barkeep smirked, leaning forward, "You misunderstand me. No-one here _cares_ what he looks like. You've come to the wrong place if you're looking for information."

Sheppard sighed. He'd been expecting that. So he too leaned forward, saying in a quieter voice, "Look, I know you're trying to keep up appearances here for your friends, but I think we can make it worth your while."

The barkeep's smirk widened, "I think it would be best if you turn around and be on your way."

There was a disturbance upstairs, Ronon looked up at once,

"Gun!"

At once the team ducked down. Just in time as well as gunfire exploded in the tavern. Sheppard and Ronon both jumped behind the bar, using it as cover. The barkeep was lying on the ground near them, already dead.

"P-90 fire!" shouted Sheppard, incredulous. Ronon looked enraged as he swooped up onto his feet and Sheppard heard his gun fire a blast. There was a beat of silence, then a crash. Then another beat of silence, before Sheppard got to his feet and found the man splayed out on the ground, having fallen from above. Sheppard winced, that must have hurt.

Carson hurried over and started looking him over.

"Is he dead?" Rodney sounded both worried and hopeful.

Carson checked the guy's pupils. "No, but we need to get him back to Atlantis as soon as possible."

"Alright, gather him up." ordered Sheppard. As soon as the man was on a stretcher, they headed for the door. Sheppard paused at the door, glancing around at the patrons, who were all in obvious shock. "Fellas. Get a round on me, yeah?"

~*~

"I know this man. His name's Nabel. When Teyla and I went to New Athos, he was there. He tried to kill us!" said Keller as soon as she took a look at the injured man. Her normally smiling face was cold.

"It's all right, love. He's unconscious now and – for the time being – in desperate need of our attention. You can convert him later; right now, we need to save his life. Let's go, lads." said Carson as he started to push the gurney. Keller jogged after him.

Meanwhile, Carter turned to Sheppard, "How could he have gotten a P-90?"

"Well, if he was on New Athos-"

"Rodney! Rodney!!"

The remaining team and Carter all turned as one to see Zelenka sprinting up to them looking thrilled. He skidded to a halt in front of McKay and began to babble,

"The bio-energy converter, it works perfectly! It's incredible just how well it works-"

"Yes, superb Radek, but we're kinda busy at the moment, so-"

"But Rodney!" Zelenka gave a little jump of excitement and frustration. "It's a bio-energy converter!"

"Yes, wonderful, joyous news, but right now we're a little busy trying to save the galaxy from Michael and Kaie-"

"Exactly! And you can use the bio-energy converter to do dat!"

Now Rodney was paying attention as were the others as they watched Zelenka bounce on the balls of his feet.

"What do you mean?" asked Sheppard, in no mood to deal with a hyper-active scientist. Zelenka turned to him,

"It's a bio-energy converter Colonel-"

"So you keep saying, get to the point Radek."

"Oh my god! Of course!" said Rodney raising a hand, eyes widening, "Oh my god why didn't I think of that, of course!"

Zelenka looked a little smug. "Da energy converter takes bio-chemical energy and converts it to electricity. If we could-"

"If we could hook up Kaie to the converter we could drain all the excess energy from her body, using it to power the city." said Rodney, looking thrilled.

"But didn't Doctor Beckett say the only reason she was out of action was because she had too much energy and couldn't risk using it?" said Carter, frowning.

"You wanna help save the woman who's trying to destroy the galaxy?" demanded Sheppard.

"Vell… sort of." said Zelenka, deflating a little in the wake of Sheppard's annoyance.

"That is not a good idea." said Sheppard forcefully.

"No, not in dat sense, but Colonel! Ve'd probably 'ave to hook her up via a stasis pod. She'd be unconscious, taken out of de picture completely, if her life was to be saved."

"And Carson said Michael's almost completely obsessed with trying to save her. We could use this as a bargaining tool! He gives us Teyla back, and we save Kaie's life."

"Wouldn't this have already occurred to Michael himself?" asked Carter dubiously, raising an eyebrow. "You said he's a very intelligent person."

"Vell, de energy converter is very sophisticated, he probably does not have the time to build it along wit everything else." said Zelenka thoughtfully.

"Yeah it probably took the Ancients years to perfect it, and they were… well the Ancients. Michael's brilliant, but he's one guy and he's running against the clock."

Sheppard considered the idea. It would be a load off their minds if Kaie was out of the way. And she could probably power the city forever with all the energy she probably had. And it was very clear she was Michael's big weakness.

"We should see what Nabel has to say when the doc's are through with him. If he can lead us to Michael, we might be able to offer it to him."

"Yeah, the only problem is Kaie probably won't be too pleased by the idea."

"So?" asked Ronon, speaking at last. "If she's as weak and unstable as he said, she won't have any say in it anyway."

"Good point."

"What about when she's drained? What then?" Carter clearly had her doubts.

"We leave her in stasis until we can handle her." said Rodney shrugging.

"McKay we have no idea what she's capable of-"

"Ah!" Rodney smirked, pointing at her, "Yes, well, she may be all powerful, but she needs to be awake to do it. Remember I did a whole series of tests on her when we first met her. I happen to know that she needs to be conscious to do anything. If she's in stasis, she's helpless. And I was working on a way to switch off her powers. Now, admittedly I never did find out how, but with her in stasis I'd say I'll be able to come up with some way of controlling her without, uh, too much difficulty."

"Or we could just leave her in stasis forever." said Ronon quietly.

"You really think you could do that?" asked Samantha, "Ronon, she's your sister."

"I said before she's not. Ever since she chose that wraith she's not been my sister."

None of them really believed him, but they did not argue. They didn't get a chance to, because Keller's voice came over the comm.

"_Colonel Carter, this is Doctor Keller. You'd better come down to the Infirmary. There's a problem with Doctor Beckett."_

* * *

Will Michael and Kaie agree to this? Stay tuned to find out!

Night's Darkness


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The team and Colonel Carter all gathered in the Infirmary, finding Carson lying on a bed, Dr. Keller at his side. "After he collapsed, I did a scan and found evidence of necrosis in several of his internal organs. His cells aren't renewing fast enough to sustain tissue function."

"Any idea why?" asked Carter, frowning down at the Scotsman.

"I can only assume it's a complication due to the fact he's a clone. I've given him a course of treatment to try to stimulate cell growth but it's a bit like trying to find a cure for old age."

"What are you saying?" asked Sheppard, his shoulders rising with tension.

Keller sighed, "On the outside he looks fine, but on the inside ... well, he's – he's dying."

There was a moment when they all tried to absorb this. The thrill of their idea with the bio-energy convertor was long gone now.

"Why is this happening now?" asked McKay, lifting his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he survived for almost two years with Michael and Kaie. I mean, shouldn't he have felt some kind of effects from his condition before now?"

"Yeah, that's a good point." said Keller, nodding her head. "Uh, don't take this the wrong way, but at the rate his cells are deteriorating, he should have died a long time ago."

"The weekly injection he gave me." Carson rasped as he opened his eyes. He had obviously been listening to them "He said it was some kind of drug to keep my cells from deteriorating, plus some sedative so I didn't go running off. In all the madness that's been going on, well I forgot all about it."

"Well, you obviously don't have any of it with you."

"No, Michael administered it himself, one dose at a time." Carson was obviously trying to hide how alarmed he was now feeling. Then his face lit up with an idea. "But when Colonel Sheppard's team rescued me, it'd only been four days since my last injection. Now, assuming it takes a full seven days to break down ..."

Keller grinned, her own eyes lighting up with understanding. "We scanned you when you got here."

"Exactly. And if the scanners were able to pick it up, we may be able to isolate it and create more. We need to get started right away." he started to clamber out of bed and Keller grabbed his arm, pushing him back.

"No, whoa-whoa. Where do you think you're going?"

"We have work to do." said Carson at once.

"No, **I** have work to do. You need to stay in bed. The less you exert yourself, the better."

"You don't seriously expect me to lie here and be useless while my own life hangs in the balance, do you?" demanded Carson staring up at her in determined desperation. Keller glanced around for help, but they all had the same look of helplessness on their faces. They all knew how Carson felt. So Keller heaved a great sigh and said,

"Ok. But you're to rest as well, got it?"

"Got it. Thank you." Carson clambered out of bed and straightened up, "Now, let's get to work."

* * *

Teyla awoke to find herself still strapped to the table, but it had been adjusted so it was horizontal now. Something had woken her, but her sluggish mind was unsure what. Until she looked to the left and saw the source of the sound. Michael was crouched on the ground, hands over his face, and it was from him the sounds were coming. It was a keening sound… Michael was crying.

Teyla's eyes widened and she stared at Michael, who had yet to realise anyone was watching him. He looked smaller than before, weighed down. It was a pitiful sight, but Teyla could not bring herself to feel empathy for him, not after what he had done.

A door banged open somewhere behind her and Michael looked up. Teyla shut her eyes, feigning sleep as light footsteps came closer and closer to them.

"Kaie." murmured Michael, sounding weary.

"Michael." she sighed and Teyla could imagine her taking him into her arms. "I could feel you weeping on the other side of the complex."

"I am sorry." Michael sounded embarrassed.

"Don't be. You are allowed to weep. I have wept a river since this all began, yet you will not allow yourself a moment."

"I cannot afford a moment!" snapped Michael, and his footsteps moved closer to Teyla. "I take a moment and we will be undone."

"We will only be undone with our deaths." said Kaie in a cold voice.

"I will not let you die!" snapped Michael.

"And I will not let you fail." said Kaie.

Silence fell over the room like a blanket. Then Michael sighed and stepped away from Teyla, returning to Kaie. Teyla opened her eyes a fraction and saw how tightly the two were embracing. It was almost as if they were fused together as Kaie clung to Michael's shoulders, his back, as her mouth seemed to be almost eating his. Michael's hands were clutching her hips, tugging her dress up and up. Kaie's legs were exposed to the light and Teyla felt disgust rise up inside her as she saw the lumps of flesh that had grown out of her, they were almost moving like they were alive, twitching and pulsating, like small brains. Teyla swallowed and forced her eyes up to watch as Michael started kissing Kaie's neck. There was a blissful smile on Kaie's face, and she looked young again as she held on to Michael and guided him over her skin.

"Take me Michael." she whispered, "I need you."

"My love. My queen." sighed Michael. "Is it safe?"

"I am tired… I will not hurt you." she replied, pulling at his clothing.

"How I have missed you." Michael murmured into her skin, tugging her dress and letting it fall away. Teyla felt sickened at the sight of Kaie's body. She looked like a monster, the monsters she and Michael were. But there was something grotesquely tender about the way Michael kissed and touched her, guiding her to rest against the wall. Teyla shut her eyes, unable to watch anymore. It was too wrong. But her ears could not block out the sounds they made as they coupled, not seeming to care who was near. Finally, Kaie let out a low moan and Michael gave a shuddering gasp and they fell quiet.

After a few moments, Kaie spoke, "I will go and see what the Atlantians are doing. They have found our Beckett clone by now."

Teyla's eyes popped open involuntarily. What did she just say?

"Ah, awake Teyla." said Michael, smiling at her. His eyes were brighter now, as if his coupling with his monstrous mate had healed him. "I hope we did not rouse you with our activities."

"She was watching us." sneered Kaie, still naked. Teyla tried not to look at the growths on her body, but her disgust was clear to Kaie, who spread her arms, her face contorting into a vicious snarl. "Do not act so coy Teyla, take a closer look. Does it please you to see how my body fails me? How I am slowly dying? With every passing day I become more unable to support a child inside me, I move further from what I want, what you got without even trying!"

"And the universe is grateful with each passing day!" spat Teyla, "Two monsters like you are more than enough."

Michael's face flickered with something that could have been hurt, but Kaie narrowed her eyes, shaking her head.

"We are not monsters. We are the next step in progress. We are going unify two of the most war-mongering species that ever existed."

"No! You are going to destroy them both! You will bring ruin to this galaxy." said Teyla, quivering with rage.

"The narrow-minded have always feared change." said Kaie dismissively. Then she turned to Michael, "I would keep her sedated, in case she tries to spread her selfish nonsense among your creations."

Michael nodded and went to the table and began to prepare a syringe to inject Teyla. As he worked, Kaie stepped closer to Teyla and whispered in her ear,

"You do not believe there is any goodness inside us, that we feel nothing. But you are wrong. We love beyond reason, we love this universe and would see unification brought upon Wraith and Humans."

Teyla looked away, refusing to listen to Kaie, who pursed her lips and leaned down again, whispering,

"You may not believe me, but let me ask you this. You just saw how much Michael loves me, for he is willing to look beyond my wretched body's disfigurements, he not only is willing to, he wants to make love with me. My hideous appearance does not matter to him, my insomnia, my mood swings, my uncontrolled drive to mate, all the things that would have driven another away, he has accepted and loved me regardless. Now, tell me Teyla. Would the father of your child be so loving if our positions were reversed?"

Teyla closed her eyes, hating the way Kaie's voice had the ability to sink into her mind and give birth to a tiny sliver of doubt. After all, would Kaanan be able to look past the disgusting condition of Kaie's body if it were Teyla? Teyla could not be sure she would be so accepting if it were Kaanan.

"That… that does not excuse what you have done." she said in a shaky voice. Kaie snorted and grabbed Teyla's chin, forcing her to look at her.

"Did I say we were looking for an excuse?" she sneered, before leaning down and kissing Teyla's brow, lips broken and dry, scratching her skin. Teyla flinched away, closing her eyes as Michael came back and injected her with the sedative.

* * *

Michael rubbed his eyes as he sat back, trying to ease the pressure headache he was getting. He was so close! He could feel it! After all this time he was on the verge of completing his work. Soon he would release the second stage of the Hoffan virus and it would act much as the iratus bug had, only it would not transform just humans. It would also infect the Wraith and render them unable to feed. Within a few days after infection, the victim would become a hybrid like Michael, and like those he was breeding around him. They would see that he was right to be doing this, and he would be vindicated, triumphant.

Except…

Michael had hoped that he would be able to infect Kaie, thus making them both far more genetically compatible. But Kaie's body would fight off the Hoffan virus within seconds of infection. Until Michael could find a way to heal her, he could not infect her and transform her. And until he could do that, there was no chance of ensuring Kaie could conceive.

Kaie thought that Teyla's child was needed to help her conceive, and that was partially true. But Michael also needed him for his experiments, to try to ensure that the hybrids would not degenerate.

And there was another reason.

Once the child had been born, Teyla would no longer be needed. Michael had considered keeping her alive to allow her to nurture her son, out of gratitude for her kindness to him in the past. But, now that he could see that she saw him the same way her team mates did, his bitterness overshadowed any compassion he had for her. Her son needed a mother.

It did not have to be Teyla when there was another woman dying of her desire for a child.


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"So you're sure this will work?"

"Pretty sure."

"Pretty sure?"

"Well, I can't give absolute guarantees."

"Rodney…"

"Look, there's a good chance this will work exactly as we want it, but equally, there is a chance that it might… not."

"Meaning?" prompted Carter.

"Meaning, um, it may have the adverse reaction of Kaie causing a massive explosion that could… potentially destroy this entire system."

Sheppard stared at McKay, feeling the urge to strangle him welling up, but deciding to wait.

"Let's dial the gate." he said. They had an address thanks to Nabel and the bio-energy converter was set to go, Zelenka and Rodney had modified it to work with a stasis pod. Now all they had to do was reach Michael.

Carter nodded to the technician at the dial up station and he began to key in the address.

"Let's hope Michael picks up, and not Kaie." said Rodney quietly. No one responded, but they were all thinking the same thing. The gate burst into life.

* * *

One of Michael's consols beeped. The Stargate had been activated.

"It's the Atlantians." said Kaie quietly from where she lay on the ground, too weary to move for the moment. Michael looked up, wondering if they would have to leave quickly. Then his communications station opened a channel and a familiar voice filtered through.

"_This is Colonel John Sheppard, calling Michael. If you can hear me you'd better listen up because we have something that might interest you." _

Michael, surprised, looked around.

"Ignore it!" snapped Kaie.

"_We're in possession of a bio-energy convertor. We have it hooked up to a stasis pod. Now, from what I've heard, that is something you might be very interested in." _

Michael dropped his scanner and went to the communicator to listen.

"Michael ignore him." said Kaie, struggling to get up.

"_So here's the deal. You give us back Teyla, unharmed, along with the Athosians, and we will let you place Kaie inside the stasis pod and drain her energy so that she will be able to live." _

Cold shock spread through Michael's body as he looked at Kaie, who glared at him furiously.

"_If you don't do something, she'll die, right? Isn't it better that she's safe and in stasis than dead?"_ goaded Sheppard.

"Did you know about this?" demanded Michael of Kaie.

"Of course I knew about it!" she snarled, "But I will not be put away like some toy, never to escape."

"This could save your life!"

"What life is it to be locked away, frozen and drained?"

"You would be alive! I would be able to find a way to fix you."

"Do you really think that? Do you really believe that the Atlantians won't try to kill me? That they won't use me to make you obey them?"

Kaie finally got to her feet and staggered towards Michaela, reaching out to him. He caught her and held her close as she cupped his face in his hands, whispering, "I will not be used against you. I would rather die."

"I want you to live!" protested Michael.

"And I will, but you have to ignore them. They are trying to manipulate you. If you give in to them then everything we have worked for will be lost! Please Michael, ignore them."

Michael wanted to say no, but then Kaie kissed him and he whimpered at the thought of losing her.

"You need help." he sighed, putting his arms around her. Kaie nodded, kissing him gently again, her voice quiet and seductive.

"We can invade Atlantis when we're ready. I can hold strong until then. You can put me in the stasis pod and make me well again. And then we can have our baby."

"We may already have one." said Michael, raising his eyebrows in the hope she would understand his meaning.

"Teyla's son."

"Yes."

Kaie tilted her head thoughtfully, "I thought I had made it clear I wanted our child, not some lower replacement."

"I know. But until then, the boy will need a mother. It need not be Teyla."

"Hmmm…" Kaie pursed her lips in thought. Then she looked up in surprise. "Well, I suppose we will have little time to consider it. Teyla's labour is about to begin."

Michael's eyes widened and he turned away from Kaie to check his monitoring equipment. He saw his lover was right.

"Well, we should go help her."

* * *

"No response sir."

Sheppard sighed, "Guess we were wrong about Kaie being his weakness."

"Or she got the message and ignored it." said Carter thoughtfully.

"If Kaie is the one pulling the strings, then we need to find a way to defeat her."

"What do you suggest?"

"Her planet."

They all turned to look at Ronon who was leaning against the wall, glaring into space. "There's probably something there we could use."

"Like a weapon?"

"Maybe. Or something like a weakness. Everyone's got one." said the Sadetan.

"Not a bad idea." said Carter.

"I don't know… could be booby-trapped." said Sheppard.

"I'll go." said Ronon.

"On your own?"

"You guys need to get Teyla. But we need to find a way to stop Kaie."

"I could go." said Zelenka, "I mean, I could go to Kaie's planet. Ronon is needed to help Teyla. I could see what I could find."

"I think that's a better idea." said Carter, folding her arms. "Zelenka, you take a team to Kaie's planet and Sheppard, you take your team to try and save Teyla."

The two men nodded. Ronon glowered into space again. Sheppard clapped him on the shoulder.

"C'mon big guy. Let's save Teyla."

* * *

Zelenka had no idea what he ought to be searching for. After all, he highly doubted that Kaie had just left out an instruction manual for him to read about how to stop her. But maybe he would be lucky and find something. After all, he reasoned, there had to be a reason this planet had been chosen. Maybe there was something here that fed her abilities. Maybe the environment had been keeping her stable.

As Zelenka walked by the statues of Michael's hybrids, he glanced around, shuddering at the idea of turning to stone, wondering if any pain had been felt. Judging by the twisted bodies, there was probably a lot.

That's when he noticed something. One of these statues was not like the others.

Zelenka almost tip toed around the hybrids, feeling like he was walking into a graveyard, until he reached the odd statue. It too was twisted in pain, but the features were nothing like the hybrids. If anything… it looked human. As a thought occurred to him, Zelenka pulled out his PDA and drew up the mission reports from SGA's first encounter with Kaie. His eyes skimmed over the report and his stomach dropped as he looked up at the human, no… the woman.

"Aleshanee…"

* * *

Teyla's body had become a focal point for utter agony. Every contraction dragged her up and threw her down. If she had been at home, or with her people, she would have been able to handle it. But, instead, she was with Kaie and Michael who only wanted her baby for their insane experiments.

"You're doing fine Teyla." said Michael coolly. "He'll be born in the next few hours."

Kaie patted Teyla's brow with cool water and watched her with detached fascination.

"It's remarkable that life has engineered itself like this." she said, eyes fixed on Teyla's belly.

"It is." agreed Michael. "Aren't you proud of your own biology Teyla?"

Teyla just screamed in pain.

* * *

Colonel Carter watched as Zelenka came barrelling through the Stargate and up the stairs, crying,

"Colonel! Colonel!"

"What's wrong Radek?"

"Have you sent Colonel Sheppard's team through yet?"

"Yes, you just missed them."

"Sakra k čertu!" swore Zelenka. "You have to get them back! We've misunderstood this whole situation."

Carter's eyes widened, "I can't, they're maintaining radio silence. What did you find out Radek?"

* * *

Sheppard, McKay and Ronon made their way towards Michael's base of operations with Carson. The doctor insisted he knew the way in, and they were willing to let him try.

"This way." Carson pointed at a door. Sheppard wasted no time in forcing the door open and they made their way inside. They walked down a long corridor, guns at the ready.

"'s way too quiet." muttered Ronon.

"Agreed." growled Sheppard. "Doc are you sure this is the place?"

"Positive, but… maybe they've moved. After all we did contact them before coming."

"True…" Sheppard hated to think that their attempt at diplomacy had cost them Teyla.

"This way, this is where he's been experimenting on people."

Carson led them into a huge warehouse. Rows of large shelves took up much of the space. Carson ran to the nearest one and pulled away a sheet of plastic, checking the pulse of the person lying there.

"Dead. They're all dead!" he cried. "Why would he do this?"

"Couldn't risk leaving anything behind." said Sheppard, putting aside his anger and grief for these poor people in favour of looking around.

"Smells weird in here." said Ronon suddenly, moving forward. "Kinda like… like the birthing room in the hospital."

He looked at Sheppard who felt a flare of panic and ran forward, shouting, "Teyla!"

They ran into a small area full of dead screens, and an autopsy bed. And lying on top of the bed, was Teyla. Her wide eyes stared lifelessly at the ceiling, her legs sprawled apart obscenely.

"Oh God, no!" cried McKay coming to a stuttering halt, Beckett coming up behind him. Beckett looked away in horror.

Sheppard stepped closer to Teyla and reached out, closing her eyes and resting his hand there as he swallowed down the pain and urge to weep. Then his radio gave a shriek of static.

"_Colonel Sheppard, this is Carter, come in!" _

Sheppard did not move.

"_Colonel respond."_

Sniffing hard, Sheppard pulled his hand away and answered, "Go ahead."

"Zelenka's just returned from Kaie's planet. He found the calcified body of Aleshanee."

"The being that took Kaie from her homeworld?"

"_Yes. It looks like Kaie might have murdered her. Zelenka also found Kaie's home and some writings of hers. Apparently she killed Aleshanee when she was twelve, after realising that Aleshanee would never allow her to use her powers the way she wanted. Kaie came to the conclusion that diversity was wrong, that everyone should be the same."_

"We already knew that."

"_What we didn't know is that she actively manipulated Michael into coming to her. She discovered him, and lured him to her planet, wanting his help with her plan."_

"So… she's behind all of this, not Michael?"

"_Not all of it, but this massive attack? Yes. It's her." _

"Teyla's dead. Looks like they took the baby and killed her." said Sheppard abruptly, barely able to get the words out. There was silence on the other end for a moment.

"_I'm so sorry."_

"Tell me we have a way to stop her."

"She's gotta die." said Ronon simply. Sheppard glanced up at him, seeing his own anger reflected in the Sadetan's eyes.

"You sure you can?"

Ronon nodded.

"Ok, let's do this."

"I'm afraid, you won't be doing anything." Kaie's voice echoed around them, filling the warehouse. They all drew their weapons up, but there was a flash of light and a tingle of the transporter. They found themselves on a Wraith ship, surrounded by hybrids aiming guns at their heads. Outside the circle, Michael and Kaie stood side by side. In Kaie's arms was a small, squirming bundle. "Did you really think we would just leave like that?"

"Kaie…" growled Ronon.

"You don't understand Ronon, we are doing the best thing for the universe." said Kaie. "The virus Michael is developing is designed to mutate continuously every time it encounters a new species. Then those already transformed will be re-infected, so that every species will take on every other's aspects."

"You'll probably kill every living thing in the universe." squawked Rodney.

"Well, maybe that's for the best." said Kaie. Michael glanced up at her, a flicker of doubt passing through his eyes. Sheppard saw it and grasped for it,

"Michael." he kept his voice as steady as he could, "Think about this. What you're trying to do… it goes beyond insanity and science and ethics. It's wrong."

"By small minded human standards." snapped Kaie, "But Michael and I are special. We can see beyond the micro."

Teyla's son let out a whimper in her arms and she looked down at him, smiling, "He's very beautiful." she sighed. Then she looked up with her deranged eyes, and pulled a monstrous smile. "Take them to the lab."

"NO!" Ronon moved like lightning, pulling out on of his daggers and hurling it at her. The hybrid's opened fire as Kaie snapped a hand out and the dagger froze in mid-air, as Ronon fell, clutching his shoulder.

"Bad Ronon, you nearly hit the baby." scolded Kaie, turning the dagger to water and rocking the baby in her arms as he wailed in fright. "You don't want to hit Teyla's son, do you?"

"Teyla wouldn't want him used for your plans." snarled Ronon, forcing himself to his feet. Sheppard nodded,

"This has to end." he said, eyes fixed on Michael.

"Agreed." said Kaie. She looked at Michael. "Can you start testing the virus?"

"I believe so." murmured Michael.

"Good. Then start with them."

The hybrids moved forward and tried to grab at them. The Atlantis men opened fired and managed to keep them at bay.

"McKay! Any plans?" asked Sheppard over the noise.

"I dunno! Lemme think." cried McKay as he fired his weapon.

"Enough!" barked Kaie's voice, projected so loud it deafened them all, even after the gunshots. A wave of energy flew at them and they were knocked into the wall. Sheppard's head collided and he dropped to the ground, groaning in pain. "If they fight again, kill them."

"Kaie-" started Michael,

"What?" Kaie looked at him, reaching out with her free hand and stroking his cheek, her whole demeanour softening. "What's wrong?"

"I…" Michael stared at her then his shoulders sagged and he said quietly, "You should rest."

Kaie smiled and nodded, then looked down at Teyla's baby in her arms, pushing the blanket's away from his face.

"Shall we go rest my son?" she cooed.

The last two words sent Ronon into a flying rage and he charged at Kaie. A hybrid opened fire and hit him in the chest.

Ronon Dex was dead before he hit the floor.

"Ronon!" cried Sheppard. The hybrids restrained him, and he, McKay and Beckett were dragged away to Michael's labs.

Kaie stared down at her dead brother impassively and shook her head.

"If you'd only listened to me Ronon." she sighed. She crouched down and reached out a shaky hand, resting it on his chest. Closing her eyes, she concentrated and before Michael's eyes, Ronon's body slowly transformed into a hundred yellow flowers. Kaie sagged, panting and scooped up a handful sniffing them.

"They were our mother's favourite." she said quietly rising to her feet. She turned to Michael and smiled gently at him. "Now my love, go and finish what we started. We must release the virus soon."

Michael met her gaze and shivered, wondering where the woman he loved was in this creature before him. But he still nodded,

"Yes, my queen."

* * *

**Epilogue**

General O'Neill read the report with growing horror.

Atlantis had been infected by the newest virus developed by the Wraith Michael, along with large parts of the populated Pegasus galaxy. Colonel Carter had managed to send him a final message informing him of the dire situation. Even Carter herself had been infected.

'_I can already feel my body beginning to change, and nothing Dr. Keller does has slowed it down. I am afraid that the virus moves too fast for anyone to combat it, and it is so adaptable that we cannot keep up._

'_Therefore, I recommend that Earth halt all interaction with the Pegasus galaxy and alert all planets that they can. This virus will not stay isolated if its creators have anything to say about it. They are targeting the Milky Way and every other galaxy in the universe. Whatever they do succeed, the virus will be a devastating blow to anyone who encounters it. _

_Do not let this virus reach Earth sir. Please.'_

O'Neill nodded, as if Carter could see him. He would not let this virus reach Earth. He would not allow anyone on this planet become a mindless hybrid.

He glanced at his own hands and prayed that it was just the lighting that was making his skin look a little whiter than normal…


End file.
